From the Corner Office
This
Month's Topic:
Employees: How to Preserve Your Most Important Asset
Hello everyone. I hope you are doing well.
This month, I wanted to discuss the importance of people in an organization.
I've heard over and over that the talent pool is drying up, both for sales and programming.
I, for one, don't believe it. There are bright, motivated people out there who are looking to make their mark. But numbers of them will pass over or leave a career in radio. Why is that and who's to blame? Maybe we ought to look at how we treat our employees. Radio companies will never succeed as long as they are looking in the rear view mirror when it comes to talent.
I've often said that radio is a simple business except for the people. It's the people who can screw stuff up, make wrong decisions, or not see opportunities right in front of them. Staff issues can be frustrating to any manager. It's easy to fall into the manager's lament that if he/she just had better staff, they'd be doing so much better.
But what about the other side of that coin? What about every manager's obligation to the people who work for and with them? Yes, there are both written and unwritten rules about management's conduct toward the people who are supposed to actually do the work. We all know the obvious ones, such as preventing discrimination and harassment, but what about some of the more affirmative obligations? Here's a short but important list:
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* Attracting and retaining top talent
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* Supporting career development and motivation
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* Ensuring that employees feel valued and respected
A few comments on each of these rules are in order.
We always read that candidates for a position ought to be of sterling experience and reputation. We're always trying to hire Mother Theresa. But the proof is in the performance of the person who takes the spot. There's always some excuse, but there's never a good excuse for bringing onto the staff someone who will not contribute in a measurable way to move the station or department forward.
Managers often fall into the trap of not hiring people who are "too smart" or "too aggressive". That's a direct reflection on the insecurity of the manager, and will, sooner or later, reduce the station's effectiveness in the marketplace. Another potential mistake is hiring the friend or acquaintance just because they are a known quantity, even if they may not be the best candidate for the job. More management blinders at work.
We managers are not compensated to create the most comfortable environment, nor are we paid to create a team of clones who all think alike. We are obligated to assess what our real market needs are, and to do everything in our power to fulfill them. That may mean going outside our comfort zone, or the comfort zone of our staff, but it should be clear to all involved that the motivation and expectation behind those recruitment campaigns is to bring us someone who will shake up the place. Change can be good; in fact it can be the best thing if it keeps all of us sharp and aggressive.
When we bring someone onto our payroll, we need to consider it the beginning of a relationship, not the end of a process. Talented people want to learn, they want to grow and they want to progress in their career.
Every manager needs to have a game plan for challenging every employee to grow...to stretch their talents and try new things. Whether it's trying something brand new, or taking a leadership position on an emerging project, employees are looking for that type of challenge. They also want to know when they've succeeded, and when they've come up short.
This simple task - clear, honest feedback- is one of the most common management failures in radio. Contrary to conventional wisdom, I believe it is possible to make time for a personalized, in depth, annual review for every employee who reports to you. In that review, the manager should provide a straightforward assessment by pointing out the accomplishments of the past months, and the areas for improvement and growth that you want the employee to work on.
Last, but certainly not least important, is the value we managers should place on our employees and the respect we need to accord them. It's amazing to me that cultures within our industry can continue in which people are treated like hired help by managers who have somehow been given all the answers by divine insight.
Tales of public flogging and humiliation should come from the Imperial British Navy of the 18th century, not from the radio industry in the 21st! Human beings deserve and demand the basic respect due them, whether they're the number 1 biller, or a part-timer trying to break into the business.
Each employee is a unique individual, with strengths and weaknesses and emotions. What sets managers apart from the non-managerial employees is not superior intellect or virtue, but rather simple, everyday experience. We've screwed up more than they have. And we managers need to remember that.
These are some very simple and self-evident principles for managers that will allow us as a company to say that we truly value our employees, and not have the claim ring hollow.
Please feel free to e-mail me by clicking on the "Ask Peter" icon posted below. I would love to hear your feedback or answer any questions you may have.
Have a great month!
Best regards,
Peter August 2006