Hard Knocks; Hard Truths: Leadership Lessons for Radio
Those who know me best know that I am a diehard Steelers fan. I can’t remember the first time I watched a Steeler game because I grew up in a house full of Steeler fans. A loss can ruin my day. If it is a playoff loss, it ruins weeks. There are many fans of different teams and sports who have the same passion for their favorites. The way I feel is not unique to me. It is passionate fans that drive sports as well as many businesses. In radio they are referred to as P1s or Superfans.
My love of sports bleeds into my beliefs in how to manage and coach. Building that fan base starts with the team on the field, or in the case of our business, the product and/or the sales service that goes with it. Success or failure starts with the “Head Coach”, whoever is leading the company or a division of it. Coaching is so very important on both the sales and content sides of media.
Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers has never had a losing season. He’s been an HC for 18 years. His record is 182 wins, 103 losses, and 2 ties. Under Tomlin the Steelers have made 11 playoff appearances, won 7 AFC North titles, and advanced to 2 Super Bowls. He is 1 and 1 in the Super Bowl. A great record, but Steeler fans (like most fans) want to see their team in the Super Bowl. We’re tired of 9-8 or 10-7 seasons. In reality; Tomlin gets more out of his players than what is generally expected.
Tomlin’s style of coaching can be abrupt. He’s often point blank with his criticisms. Truthful to a fault. He’s also balanced and can be sympathetic when there’s a need for a soft touch. Last week on the season premiere of the HBO series Hard Knocks, we see Tomlin compliment a Rookie player on a great pass rush and sacking the Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback. Tomlin says to the young man “This is what you were brought here to do. Let’s not act surprised. This is not a lightning strike. You’re built for this.” His compliment isn’t about himself. He doesn’t say “you did it for me.” His unspoken words were “you did this for you.”
Likewise the Head Coach of the Detroit Lions, Dan Campbell, is making a mark on the long suffering team with a different approach. Campbell has totally changed the culture inside of the locker room. He’s tough as nails. Campbell talks about biting kneecaps and kicking in teeth and biting knees on the way back up. He’s played the game. His players relate to him and he to them. I’ve never been a Lions fan, but I have become a fan of their Head Coach.
The success these two coaches are enjoying didn’t just happen. They have a plan, and the experience on how to motivate the talent on their team to execute the plan. These coaches know their players abilities and when, where, and how to use them. The very best leaders know that success starts and ends with them as the coach. That and a plan designed to accomplish the team’s goals.
There is a structure and steps to building a winning plan:
Identify the goal. It must be realistic that you can achieve that goal. Acknowledge the objectives that need to be accomplished in order to reach your goal. Be clear to your team as to what “Success” looks like. Analyze your competition. Identify the obstacles to success.
Create a solid foundation on which to build. That is to establish the basics so you can focus on the differences that are most attractive to an audience. The basics include imaging, positioning, cross-promotion & recycling, a commitment to increasing the occasions of listening, and an appreciation for the listener experience.
A commitment to staying true to the brand. That starts with understanding who your audience is and what your station means to that audience. Why should someone listen to your station or your show. Where is it listened to and how is the station used.
Acquire talent who have the capability to execute the plan. Never hire a talent believing that you can change them to perform as you desire. That’s a disservice to the talent and yourself. Give the talent guidelines, but let them perform. They are who they are and should be encouraged to be themselves.
Great talent are great storytellers. They are relevant and relatable. They get to the point by being efficient. They create content that is Perishable. They come prepared with content that is Non-perishable … just in case. They are well organized and well prepared.
The very best coaches make a religious-like commitment to the execution of the plan. However, they also know when a plan isn’t poised to succeed and it’s time to reevaluate their plan. If success is not in sight, there’s no shame in rebooting your plan. Better that than failure.
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