What Does It Mean to be a Successful Morning Host?

What does it mean to be a successful morning host? After over 25 years as a morning talent in two countries I’ve learned that in order to be great you must bring out the greatness in others.  That the relationship you create with your team off the air is just as important as the relationship you have on the air.  Elevate everyone’s performance to win.

In most cases we spend as much time with the people we work with as our partners.  In order for your team to function at its highest level, you have to create an open and honest forum for discussing everything in the relationship.  Spend time together outside of the work environment.
The time you spend socially will transform your on-air relationship.  The more open and honest you are about performance, expectations, responsibilities etc., the faster your team will develop as a cohesive unit.

Statistics show 73 percent of change efforts fail and 70 percent of new strategies fall short of expectations. It’s not enough to fix a problem or situation; you must transform your way of thinking.  You have to continually challenge yourself to look beyond what is comfortable and develop new
and innovative ways to re-invent yourself, your relationships and your content to truly grow as a performer.

There are 3 ways to transform performance.

1. First you have to alter the way you look at your goal.   If you and your team believe something is achievable, worthwhile, important, you will put in the extra effort to make it happen.  Yes, this is the power of positive thinking employed by virtually every successful company in the world from Nike to Northrop Grumman.  These companies have incorporated some form of transformational thinking into their work environment to inspire creative evolution.
2. The second is in your choice of language. We’re in the business of communication and how we perceive a situation is inseparable from language.  There is great transformational power in allowing what, in most cases, is the unsaid to become said; articulated to the group in a respectful and safe environment. Prepare for this meeting by writing down everything you need to say to others, including anything you need to say, anything you need to forgive or be forgiven for and anything you need to take responsibility for.  This process frees every one of the mountain of issues most of us have with our co-workers and transforms the way you see that person. Can you imagine going to work tomorrow without the ongoing dialog created by the voice in your head?  Imagine being freed of the collection of complaints you may have about a partner’s lack of preparation, or another’s perceived lack of interest in the show!  Imagine what you can create as a team if there is nothing left unsaid!
3. Third is commitment. This process seems simple but in practical application it requires a lot of work both personally and professionally. Being a leader on and off the air requires commitment to an ongoing process of development that asks these questions:

• How can I interact with my team so that they feel like coauthors of the future we’re creating and not merely recipients of decisions that are made?
• Do I need to transform the way I listen and react?
• When do I bring up a subject that makes me feel uncomfortable?

The Randy Lane Company encourages the 24 hour rule.  You have 24 hours to discuss a concern or issue. Making the unsaid….said.  Anything not dealt with in 24 hours is left in the past.

Let’s face it, with all the pressure to perform and deliver ratings, create compelling and innovative content on a consistent bases, navigate through the litany of PPM advice, the more cohesive your team is the better chance you have to achieve greatness!

– Cliff Dumas

Click here to learn more about Cliff.