August 7, 2020
Which leadership qualities do you consider admirable, and which do perceive as less desirable?
 Rich Davis, KDWB: Honesty, integrity, passion, delegation, and empowerment has always been a good one for me. I always have managed with the philosophy of hiring good people and then letting them do what you hired them to do. Dishonesty and not being trustworthy are big negative qualities.
Alex Tear, SiriusXM/Pandora: A leadership essential is giving clear direction. Less desirable is not giving clear direction. You can’t be a read-between-the-lines manager. Rod Phillips, iHeartMedia: A great leader is confident in hiring superior talent including those that could replace him or her. A less desirable trait is managing everyone the same way, to fit the leader’s personality versus an individualized approach. Jeff Hurley, iHeartMedia: The most admirable leaders are strong, consistent communicators who possess empathy for the daily struggles of their teams.
Buster Satterfield, Q102: Exhibiting leadership skills without having to tell people you are in charge. Kobe, WZNE: Admirable: honesty, fairness and willingness to take responsibility when they make a mistake. When leaders don’t hold themselves accountable, that’s a big negative quality in my book. Dom Theodore, Radio Animal Media Strategies: The ability to inspire is the most important leadership quality, those who can make others want to walk through a wall for them tend to generate amazing results. |
Jammer, WEZB: Managers who mange without managing. People who don’t let us do our jobs.
Brian Mack, WXXL: I have to believe the person I’m working for/whom works for me, is a GOOD human first and foremost. By that I mean, considers the community and environment around them as sacred, above even themselves. Justin Chase, Beasley Media Group: I’d like to focus on the positive and not the negative. Great leaders give ten times more positive feedback than negative. And when you do have to give negative feedback, you should do it in a respectful and constructive way. If you give enough positive feedback, always pointing out when someone does something good, you will rarely have to give negative feedback. Valentine, WBHT: Positive qualities: open-minded, transparency, honesty, communication. Not into: close-minded, isolated from staff, hidden agendas.
Buzz Knight, Buzz Knight Media: In honor of my late friend Bob McCurdy, admirable among other traits would be a passion and zest for learning, and a strong desire for excellence and exuberance for making a difference. Less desirable would be someone who mails it in. Kevin Kash, WWEG: Lead by example, be honest and transparent. Promote a positive atmosphere. Be humble. Don’t scream at your employees or belittle them. It’s unprofessional. |
 R Dub! Z90: Brutal honesty mixed in with really any degree of loyalty and sincerity have earned some of my past and present bosses unmeasurable respect from me. Lack of empathy, dishonesty and an ability to see long-term are some of the traits I think would be hardest to work with. Luckily, I’ve been blessed with some really great managers throughout my career.
Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: The most admirable are leading by example and transparency. Being a taskmaster is not something that I think is very effective in 2020. Rick Vaughn, KENZ: Top 3 in order: Creativity, analytical thinking, followed by bold strategy. Assholes concerned only with themselves are generally less desirable. Maybe that’s just me though.
Jagger WKSS: Great motivator, positive force, someone who is empathetic and understands difficult situations and can read the room and resolve the problem. Less desirable are those that lead by being openly negative and critical of everything, and are disingenuous. Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: Admirable: honesty, integrity, leading by example, communication, follow through, establishing clear goals, good judgment. Less desirable: arrogance, fear, doubt, and any opposites of what’s listed above.
Bob Patrick, WXLK: Good open door policy. The “I’m right, you’re wrong guy!” |
Mike “OD” O’Donnell, WKRZ: Positive traits: good listener (up the chain of command), not afraid to make gut calls, treat your team with the same courtesies whether it’s the morning show or a part-timer, leaders who are actually human beings (not all just-business). Less desirable: my way or the highway attitudes, people who are dismissive when good ideas are offered about programming because it wasn’t their idea, those who are 100% non-stop business.
Java Joel, WAKS: Leading by example is preferable to micromanagement. Hire good people and let them do the job you hired them to do.
Josh Wolff, WAEB: Treat everyone with respect, listen to all opinions, and wanting everyone on your team to feel valued and respected. Leaders who feel like they always have the answers without considering other viewpoints are very narrow in their leadership and not very motivating.
JB King, KLUC: Admirable: a good motivator and communicator. Less desirable: micro-manager.
Bartel, WKTU: Time management is so important. Less desirable would be micro-managing.Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
As touring remains on a lengthy sabbatical, what do you miss most with the absence of tours both personally and relative to your station’s missed ops for big promotions?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com
