THE AIRCHECK Chris Byrnes As a consultant, I’m often asked for tips on how to air-check talent. Over the years I’ve sat on both sides of the table, having spent 15 years behind the microphone, so I’ve had my share of meetings with PD’s who didn’t know what they were doing, and/or didn’t know what they wanted me to do differently. I also learnt from some amazing PD’s, and continue to discover new ways of bringing the best out of talent via air checks.
A few weeks ago a young PD asked me for some advice in this area, and I thought it might be helpful to share part of the conservation with you.
Why air-check? Tiger Woods has a golfing coach and Michael Jordon spent time every day with his coach reviewing his performance and fine tuning his game. So if the world’s best golfer and basketball player see the benefits of having someone help minimize their weak areas and suggest new approaches, why do some air talent feel they are above listening to the coach of their radio station? Sadly it’s because a lot of PD’s don’t know what they are doing, or don’t have the right people skills to create a positive learning environment. Perhaps this is why so many PD’s simply don’t bother holding formal air check meetings at all.
When to air-check? It’s best to meet as far in advance of their next shift as possible. Don’t use the meeting for the wrong purpose. An air-check is not the time to be giving the talent grief for turning up late to a remote, or for damaging the station vehicle. The air-check session is to review the on air performance of the talent.
How often? I believe you need to air check your morning show at least once a week, and the other day parts weekly or bi-weekly depending on their performance. Part-time staff should meet with you once a month, but twice a month if required. These meetings can be 20 minutes short or two hours long, depending on the goal, and the talent themselves.
What’s the biggest mistake PD’s make? Not being prepared. Jocks know when the PD has not heard the show live, or bothered to listen to the tape before the meeting. PD’s need to listen to the live show if possible and make notes and then listen to the tape and make more notes. Decide on the two or three areas you want to work on, and isolate them on the tape, so you can back up your points with examples.
What next? After you have listened to the tape, and made your notes, ask yourself what do you want the talent to do differently? What will be the benefit to the show or the radio station? Now think about how to best communicate with the talent in such a way as to motivate and inspire.
Where should I hold the meeting? Normally in the PD’s office, providing the layout is conducive to a positive session. This means the PD should not be sitting behind his desk. Ideally you’ll have a couch or a couple of easy chairs within reach of the tape. Look for other settings from time to time. Take them out in your car and pop the tape in while you are driving. It is a lot less formal. Trade out a hotel room and provide drinks and food. Make an effort to keep it interesting, and your talent will respond.
What should I look for on the tape? Start by developing your own system to ensure you track and rate all the elements that you believe to be important. It will help you to be consistent when meeting with the talent. I’ve developed my own system over the years that track 20 different elements, but it’s different for each person. It will help to identify the strengths and weakness of the talent’s performance.
Are there other tricks? Of course, and I cannot hope to cover them in a short article like this. But one obvious one is to look for both the good and not just the bad. If every air-check session is a beat up session, your talent will avoid both you and the meetings. Also you need to really know the person, their abilities, strengths and weaknesses, and know what buttons to press to motivate them.
What upsets talent most? Continuing to point out the same problem in the current meeting before the talent has had time to work on and fix the problem. If for example, you have pointed out a problem with the way the talent is telling the time, and agreed on the way it will be done in future, don’t point it out again in the same session. You are dealing with a fragile ego in most cases, and often real damage can be done if the PD uses the wrong approach.
What should I do at the end of the session? At the conclusion of the meeting, agree on a plan of action. Follow this up with a written memo, and get that to the talent the next day. When you next meet, start by recapping the points you both agreed the talent would work on from the last meeting. Look for the improvements and pour on the praise when you can see the talent has been making the effort.
Are there other options that have worked for you? Of course, try the “You drive air-check”, where the talent sits in the PD’s chair, they control the tape, and they do the critique.
Any other tips? Catch them doing something right. If you hear the talent improving in an area discussed in the previous air check meeting, make a point of telling them. Catch them in the hallway and congratulate them on doing a great bit. Mention the specific bit you heard, and what you liked about it. Remember everybody needs to be told they are doing a good job from time to time.
What if the talent does not respond? The PD needs to come up with a new approach. If the talent has ability to perform to an agreed level, but for whatever reason is choosing to coast, it is the PD’s challenge to come up with another solution. Often a station will bring in a consultant to deal with the problem, and use the opportunity to upgrade the skills of the PD, but if that’s not an option, then discuss the problem with the GM, devise a plan and meet with the talent. A friend told me about a veteran morning man he encountered as a young PD. The morning man had huge ratings, but often forget to play the Song of the Day at 7:10am. This was the station’s benchmark promotion. The young PD exhausted all options, and in desperation went to the GM to suggest they terminate the contract. The GM advised the young PD that he needed to fix the problem or there would indeed be a termination, but it would not be the morning man, who brought in 50% of the station’s revenue. Nothing my friend tried worked, until he went out and brought a $10 lamp and a timer set to go off at 7:05am. He wrote on the lampshade “Play song of the day” and put it in the control room. Problem solved.
Is there value in involving the other talent? This depends on the talent, their level of experience and their ability to make comments that will be helpful to the rest of the team. It’s worked for me, because often the other talent, who sit in the same control room, can suggest better ways of doing a bit, or setting up a break.
Conclusion: Motivating talent, leading from the front or pushing from behind, will never be an easy task. It’s one that a lot of PD’s have few, if any, qualifications for. They learn by their mistakes, sadly at the expense of the talent. A PD needs to develop a game plan that works for them, and then stick to it. Talent needs to listen to the PD and understand that they are helping them along the road of success, fame and fortune. |