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February 12, 2021
What have you learned the most from the challenges of 2020 that empower you to feel like you can handle just about anything going forward?
Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: I think we’ve all had to be more flexible than we have ever been. For a job that relies on a lot of structure and organization, we had to thrive on not having any structure or predictability. I feel that I am better equipped to be predicably unpredictable than I ever have been. Mike “OD” O’Donnell, WKRZ: I learned that you have to embrace and be willing to make the most of change even if it’s not for the better, because if you don’t, you’re going to fail. Change is something that’s always happening, but this was a different kind of change. It was a change in way of life and in how we do business, and you have to embrace it and search for the opportunities that you can in it to continue to transact business and lead a staff of people. Josh Wolff, WAEB: Patience and a positive attitude. Joey Brooks, WKSS: Leaning to think more out-of-the-box and figuring things out on the fly. Flexibility and the need to pivot quickly to adapt to the situation.
Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: Audio conference calls are never as effective as video calls. Great talent can sound live and local regardless of their physical location. Wearing pants can be optional unless you have to be in an office. Buster Satterfield, Q102: How to do more with less! Java Joel, Javajoelmurphy@gmail.com: Everyone keeps telling me “They were crazy for letting you go! You were such a hard-worker! You were so passionate! You’re such a pro”. Nice words like that empower me for a few minutes. Then I come back down to reality. I’d be lying if I said I felt empowered right now. I feel the opposite of empowered right now. |
Valentine, WBHT: Responding to drastic changes across all areas of life made me more resourceful in how I approach programming. We had to be that same reliable and relevant radio station our listeners expected us to be even though we didn’t have the basic incentives like concert tickets and theme park tickets. You also had to adjust the work/life balance and work within a framework where you and your staff weren’t all-work and no-play.
Lee Abrams mediavisions: Simply surviving that historically crazy year builds confidence. Jana Sutter, WXXL: I’m really good at adapting and pivoting, and great at working in sweatpants!
Mike McVay, McVay Media: We don’t need to be in an office or a studio to perform our jobs. We don’t need to travel as much as we once did. We’re all learning how to be video meeting stars. Chris Michaels, FM100: We can take personalities in different rooms, and through technology keep the chemistry going, and get everything done remotely as if we were right there in the studio. We can literally run the whole radio station from home at any time, whereas before we could voice-track remotely, but we’ve found a way to get pretty much everything done remotely now.
Max Volume, KOZZ: Working from home requires discipline. You can either wallow in misery or move the ball down field… Kevin Kash, WWEG/WIYY: I’ve learned how precious life is. Diagnosed with needing a kidney transplant last March, I am more grateful for this life than I ever have been. I’m very grateful for the lives around me, too! Family, friends, co-workers, listeners. Mikey V, Kiss 108: Be grateful for every moment in doing what you love. |
Rick Vaughn, KENZ: I learned that while we’re surprisingly able to execute well through this period, I think we have lois the “family vibe” of the most important hallway in the building. Just passing and seeing each other leads to better promotions, more of a family feel on the air with the crossovers. It’s allowed me to develop an even greater appreciation for what’s missing these days. It’s reinforced my belief that the most important part of the station is the hallways. We need to be together.
Fish, WKRZ: First and foremost, flexibility. You have to think outside the box, and at times way outside the box, and find new ways all the time. |
Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
How do you find ways to spark the creative juices for ideas and promotions in this kind of environment with most people working at home and not seeing or meeting much inside of buildings?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com