Seven Points To Inspire

We're all looking for a new way to look at our radio station, how to make this station more compelling, and how to better “touch” the listener.  I thought that I would share my thoughts on what we each can do to achieve these goals through effective leading. Please feel free to share your thoughts with me, especially if you think that I missed something.

The Seven Secrets of Inspiring Leaders

1. Demonstrate Enthusiasm—constantly.  Leaders should have passion for what they are doing and you and your staff should have passion for the radio station that you are presenting every day.  Unless you are passionate your listeners can never be passionate about what they are hearing. They cannot be expected to come back repeatedly, a number of times a day, and then comeback everyday to listen and enjoy, if the station is unenthusiastic.
   
   
2. Articulate a compelling course of action.  Inspiring leaders craft and deliver a specific, consistent and memorable vision.  A goal such as “we intend to double our share”  is not inspiring. Neither is a long, convoluted mission statement that gets hung on a wall and forgotten.  How about “we strive to make every Cumulus radio station compelling and listenable by (taking actions). Then, every day we will get out of bed with the goal to make the station compelling, and we’ll know the date for when the goal should be accomplished.
   
   
3. Sell the benefit.  Always remember that being a leader is NOT about you.  It is about the listener.  Why should the listener care? If you cannot answer that question with every song, every talk set, every news item, every commercial or every contest … then don’t do it.
   
   
4. Tell More Stories. Inspiring leaders tell memorable stories.  They don’t brag.  They visualize the goal of the conversation (bit) and how it connects with the listener.  This is easily translatable to the radio. The best radio talent that I’ve ever worked with knew how to tell a story … and they could do it efficiently. They get to the point.
   
   
5. Invite participation.  Inspiring leaders bring employees, customers and colleagues into the process of building the company or service. The day of preaching from the Mount is over.  You can’t do it on the job and you can’t do it at home with your kids anymore.  Why should you think that you can do it with the listener who actually can choose any number of other entertainment sources?   The command and control way of managing is OVER. Today’s good leaders solicit input, listen for feedback and actively incorporate what they hear.  Do this with your radio station.  If listeners call and complain, don’t dismiss them as loons.  RESEARCH your listeners and deliver what you’re learning from them.
   
   
6. Reinforce an optimistic outlook.  Inspiring leaders speak of a better future.  They don’t bitch and blame.  Optimism is an essential ingredient to innovation.  Tell the listener why things are good with their city, the music, their choice to listen to your station. In other words, reinforce WHY they use your station. But … be credible.
   
   
7. Encourage Potential. Inspiring leaders praise people and invest in them emotionally.  Criticize them and they shrivel up.  Thank listeners for calling.  I heard Bobby Mitchell on the Wolf in Dallas one morning tell a listener that they were fun to talk with and he hoped that she would call back again.  She felt good, Bobby felt good and as a listener I felt good.