Mike McVay is no stranger to working with and “coaching” air talent and he shares some advice on how to get the most out of your jocks in this week’s Programming To Win column. Coaching air talent is a skill that may not come naturally to many programmers, but McVay has created a checklist of quick tips on how to improve your coaching techniques.
Mike McVay
By Mike McVay
- Much has been written about the value of talent, but what about the coach of the talent? The early days of our consultancy found as referring to sessions with the air talent as “critique sessions.” How negative that must have felt. Before you even show up for your session with the consultant, an event that’s uncomfortable enough as it is, you’re being criticized. I remember hearing the word “Talent Coach” from a TV News Anchor friend. He told me that their “Talent Coach” spent more time talking about the color of his hair, and his fashion, than he did talking about his content or delivery. Regardless of its origin, the phrase “Talent Coach” was immediately stolen. “Coaching” puts you on the same side of the table as the talent. You want the talent to do well. Be a “Coach” and not “the boss.”
Some talents do acknowledge that the Program Director is the first talent coach that they come in contact with. Program Directors are seldom trained in coaching talent, but are saddled with the responsibility of directing air personalities and encouraging them to accomplish their on-air goals. A PD often has a “sound” in her or his head that they desire. The talent may be inherited or the PD may have simply made an inappropriate hire. It is unfortunate that some programmers who coach talent are put in the position of forcing a round peg into a square hole.
The best way to coach talent is to really understand who they are and then share with them the vision you have in order to collectively accomplish your goals. I always start a coaching relationship by trying to understand who the talent is and to learn from them how they think. What makes them tick? What do they think makes for good radio and what makes for bad radio?
During the nearly 30 years that I’ve been consulting radio, I’ve had the opportunity to coach great talent like Rick Dees, John Tesh, Delilah, Charlie Tuna, John Lanigan, Jeff Elliott (Jeff & Jer), Donny Osmond, Kid Kelly, Stephen A Smith, Trapper Jack, Leeza Gibbons, John Salley and the latest is syndicated air personality (and Game Show Host, reality Star and Rock Star) Mark McGrath. There are many more whose names come to mind, but they may not be universally known. It doesn’t matter what their names are, but rather, “who they are.”
When you genuinely know “who” you are talking too you can then figure out what their hot buttons are in order to push those buttons. Keep in mind that no one wants to be a failure. Your air personality isn’t trying to ruin your career. They want to do what you want them to do. They want to please you because that in turn enables you to please them.
A baker’s dozen “quick tips” for Talent Coaches (PD’s) to know about coaching talent:
Know your talent. Who are they? What do they believe in? What is their reason for being? What do they like and what do they dislike? What is it that they are hoping to accomplish with their show? If they’re successful, they’re smart. Treat them with respect. I’ve never met a winning air-talent that wasn’t intelligent.What do they stand for? If you’ve ever seen the movie “Bull Durham,” there is a scene where Kevin Costner’s character tells Susan Sarandon’s character exactly what he believes in. So it is with great talent. They have a sense of purpose.
Make the talent the number one priority of your meeting. Turn off the phone. Do not check e-mails. No texting. Do not allow interruptions. Listen to what’s being said and make eye contact as you communicate.
Listen to the talent, and hear their side of every story. Pay attention.
Did your talent clearly communicate to the audience? If not be specific in what they need to do to better communicate to your listeners. Communicate clearly to them that they need to communicate clearly to the audience.
Give examples. Even if it’s something you didn’t like, point it out and play it back. If it’s something you really like, play that back as well. It is my experience that air talent will remember something you liked and try and do more of that and do less of what you didn’t like
Be sure the air talent knows who the audience is. Is their content targeted to the core listener?
Identify the radio station regularly. If you don’t receive credit from Arbitron then the listening never took place. By the way, in a PPM world, you should still identify your station and announce the frequency. If the audience doesn’t remember who you are, or where you are, they won’t be able to come back to you. When you buy a 12-pack of Coca-Cola and take it home, and open the carton, you’ll find that each can is painted and carries a Coke logo. They do that because they want you to know what it is that you’re enjoying.
Take care of business first. Live commercials should be two seconds on either side of the total time. A: 60 should be: 58-:62. A: 30 should be :28-:32. Getting commercials on and off where they belong is important. Show the air talent exactly where it needs to go. Explain WHY commercial windows are necessary and why “hard times” need to be “hit.”
Use analogies in getting your point across to the talent. Storytellers, and most great air talent can tell great stories, listen better when they’re being told a story. Use stories to “coach” your talent. Tell me a memorable story and that will make it easier for me (as a talent) to execute your strategy.
Explain the benefit to the talent. WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Be specific. If you tell me to do something without explaining the benefit … then why would I want to do it … other than I was ordered? Enlist support by explaining your reasons.
Does your air talent have the ability to “play well with others” as well as serve as part of a team? If they do not, then explain to them why being a team member strengthens the overall product. There is strength in numbers. By the way, some of the greatest air talent in the world weren’t “team players” when we first started coaching them. We create team-players. I love coaching former athletes as they understand “team.” They’ve also been coached all of their life.
Like the talent. I am not asking you to date or marry the talent. (Although that has happened before.) I am telling you to like them. It is important that you get along if you’re going to have a relationship. Years ago I argued with a General Manger over why I should be allowed to terminate a morning show that I didn’t get along with. The General Manager said, “50% of our billing comes out of this morning show. You figure out how to get along with him or we need a PD who can get along with him.” I had to figure out how to “program around this talent” and in doing so … we found that we did like each other … and we remain friends today.All on-air personalities desire to be appreciated and respected. Most talents want your coaching and desire your attention. Great talent strives to become greater. Being a Program Director means that you are also a talent coach and that means that, just like you’re asking your talent, you should strive to improve your abilities. Work that “coaching” muscle and strengthen it. Don’t be afraid to use an outside coach to help you learn to become a better coach. Pretend that we’re your personal talent trainer.
Mike McVay is President of McVay Media, a full-service broadcast consultancy, programming music, talk, coaching talent and performers. The consultancy encompasses four platforms including Broadcast Program Consulting from McVay Media, Network Syndication under the umbrella of McVay Syndication, digital technologies from McVay New Media and they coach talent both in broadcasting and entertainment & music. Contact Mike at 440.343.0800 or via E-mail at mike@mcvaymedia.com. Follow Mike on Twitter at @mikemcvay.
