This week i read chapter ten in skyhooks for leadership which dealt with ways to strengthen your employees through the power that is warranted to you as a manager. There were several sections throughout the chapter that I found helpful.... The first section of this chapter that i found really relevant was about assigning critical tasks to others. Managers possess a certain amount of power simply because of their title, spreading this power among the ranks by assigning employees tasks that are crucial to a projects completion makes employees feel that their work and time are valuable, it gives a sense of purpose as opposed to doing small mindless tasks all the time. Although delegating important tasks is an effective way to give power to others, leaders must keep up with the changing environment of their industry and not just simply sit back and oversee daily operations. Many studies of various management styles have shown that managers who refuse to delegate tasks to employees or reach out to others in any way are unsuccessful. An added benefit to sharing power was noted by Doug Schumer who was managing a small research group at Ohaus Scale Corporation; the group was to design and create a new product outside his area of expertise (applied physics). By delegating and allowing other members of the group to who were experts in various fields to obtain their own results and then report back to him what needed to be done to make it work was key in the new product's completion and success.
Most importantly what I got out of this chapter was that in order to strengthen others you not only need to share power, but you need to share information, while at the same time allowing people the freedom to complete tasks/objectives in their own way and when they do, be sure to acknowledge their accomplishments; make their success 'visible' to everyone in the organization.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Productivity through People
This chapter in Skyhooks dealt a lot about general respect for employees as a means of creating a more productive work environment. Acknowledging that employees are essential and important assets to any organization is key in making them feel like the work they do everyday is valuable and necessary. When people feel that what they do or don't do everyday truly makes a difference in the overall productivity of their organization is what makes them continue either pattern of behavior (getting their work done or not). Another very key factor that was discussed in this chapter was about trust. I really liked the story about Dana and HP and how they did away with time clocks. These two companies put faith in their employees that they would honestly report in/out times, it also required middle management to take more responsibility for their employees. For example, as a manager if you see that someone is consistently late you can discuss that issue face-to-face with them, which is not only more effective in producing positive results, but it also does not require any sort of time clock to notice and correct an employees tardiness.
The structure and general chain of command in most organizations was touched on as well... the less structure and layering there is within an organization the more freedom employees have, this freedom gives them a sense of purpose, seeing that they can delegate their daily objectives without always 'checking in' first makes people feel that they have a say in their own work. As long as the job is getting done on time and correctly this way of managing would produce the most positive and productive results in my mind.
The structure and general chain of command in most organizations was touched on as well... the less structure and layering there is within an organization the more freedom employees have, this freedom gives them a sense of purpose, seeing that they can delegate their daily objectives without always 'checking in' first makes people feel that they have a say in their own work. As long as the job is getting done on time and correctly this way of managing would produce the most positive and productive results in my mind.
Shared Visions
When I first began reading 'Skyhooks for Leadership' by John Shtogren I found myself moving much more slowly through the pages, there was just soooo much information; but after reading a few pages sometimes more than once I realized that it was a lot of good information. The first chapter I read dealt with 'Shared Visions'. There were a few concepts that really stood out to me, the first was that a company's vision can originate from any level, it does not always need to come from the top down. I feel that Bearcast can really relate to this in that we are a group made up of college student. Students that have so many ideas and visions that if take into consideration and put into action have the potential to connect with current listeners and engage new listeners. Officers in the organization need to take a look at some of the ideas, etc that people have and give them a try, they need to move away from what is comfortable, which is a hard thing to do and also seems quite risky but in the end could turn out to be very profitable.
Authenticity and Locality
Upon finishing reading the 'Making Waves' book by Ramsey I was happy to find that he concluded with and 11-point plan for radio's future. Bottom line: a station should connect with its listeners, it should be concerned with local issues and events. It should foster the kind of relationship with its listeners that has substance, a relationship that is real. It should be the place where they turn to every morning on their commute and every afternoon on their return home to get the information that they want, to hear the music that they can relate to. I love this idea of 'leveraging your loudspeaker'. Radio does not have the visual element that TV or the Internet do, but we do have a huge megawatt speaker that is heard by 90% of adults at least once a week, and if used in the right way can put us way ahead of the competing media outlets.
So we know that we need to truly connect with listeners, and once we do that we need to keep doing it. Flexibility and change are key, introducing new formats and programming and new talent is essential to the continued growth of a station. Everything that I have stated is not any easy task to achieve and a lot of the concepts seem conflicting... be authentic but don't cater to such a small market that you have no listeners... connect with listeners on a more intimate level, and then once they are comfortable change it up, yeah it sounds ridiculous to me just writing it. But there needs to be some sort of balance. To achieve that balance and overall success Radio first needs to start in the communities and ask themselves: what is it that consumers/listeners want that they are not already getting or getting enough of? Once you find that then move on to how you will go about providing them with what they want in an 'authentic' way. Authenticity can then be achieved through new ideas and new talent, which incorporates the element of flexibility. Radio has to remember how it started, for example, low power stations started out of a need for niche programming and music, so when they nationally syndicate almost every one of their programs they lose that 'local' touch, essentially they have lost the personal connection with listeners.
From what I gather thus far, Bearcast has not lost its 'local touch', it is just in need of a broader reach, more publicity, and essentially more listeners, so in this case it seems we have the opposite problem of terrestrial radio.
So we know that we need to truly connect with listeners, and once we do that we need to keep doing it. Flexibility and change are key, introducing new formats and programming and new talent is essential to the continued growth of a station. Everything that I have stated is not any easy task to achieve and a lot of the concepts seem conflicting... be authentic but don't cater to such a small market that you have no listeners... connect with listeners on a more intimate level, and then once they are comfortable change it up, yeah it sounds ridiculous to me just writing it. But there needs to be some sort of balance. To achieve that balance and overall success Radio first needs to start in the communities and ask themselves: what is it that consumers/listeners want that they are not already getting or getting enough of? Once you find that then move on to how you will go about providing them with what they want in an 'authentic' way. Authenticity can then be achieved through new ideas and new talent, which incorporates the element of flexibility. Radio has to remember how it started, for example, low power stations started out of a need for niche programming and music, so when they nationally syndicate almost every one of their programs they lose that 'local' touch, essentially they have lost the personal connection with listeners.
From what I gather thus far, Bearcast has not lost its 'local touch', it is just in need of a broader reach, more publicity, and essentially more listeners, so in this case it seems we have the opposite problem of terrestrial radio.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Trends in Radio
The readings for the week of April 16th were focused a lot on upcoming trends in radio or lack there of. I really related to the interview with Richard Laermer about 'trend spotting'. I liked how he commented about a lot of the industry being one-sided. It is important for people to know a little bit about a lot of things. Although each station has their 'stereotypical' listener, in order to gain more listeners stations should experiment with diversifying. I think Bearcast can really take something from this. Most music played is focused between a few genres, this is so because the DJ of each show is playing what they are interested in and for the most part many members of Bearcast share the same taste in music. A possible solution... scout new talent. Find incoming freshman or even students entering their senior year that have different tastes and likes and encourage them not only to get involved with Bearcast but to put a considerable amount to time into producing a show that is uniquely their own. He also states that radio does not take advantage of reaching out and becoming involved in the local community. At Bearcast I feel that efforts are becoming more focused on getting out into the community; everyone has their head in the right place, it will just take not only time but continued effort through the members to maintain and expand our reach into the community. In order to create a name/ a brand if you will for our station, we have to know what consumers want, what they are into and what they like to do. This will take time but it will also take a good amount of in-depth research, not just paper questionnaires but real discussion. I think it would be a great idea for every management member to bring in two to three or maybe even more friends that are completely different, everyone would pick a few friends that are polar opposites and we could conduct a focus group with them. Although the responses and input would be extremely varied it would serve as a starting point and give some initial answers to the question of what is is that UC students really want to hear, know about an ultimately what do they really care about?
What is a UC student?
During the week of April 9th we were discussing what constitutes a "stereotypical" UC student in tyring to determine who we are speaking to as a station. What do our listeners like to do on the weekend? What 'trends' are they following/ are big now? Where do they hang out? Have they ever even heard of Bearcast? All things that at first would seem very simple to answer, but once I started thinking about it, I mean like really thinking about it I was at a loss. I could not narrow down one image or even a few image of the average UC student. I started first by thinking of my immediate friends, what they liked to do, etc and I quickly realized that even trying to place them all in one category was difficult, so how was I supposed to generalize the likes and dislikes of 30,000 people? The UC student population is very diverse, which is a good thing, but when it comes to marketing for a radio station it seens to become a not so good thing. One solution discussed was to conduct focus groups, which would allow in depth discussions and hopefully some answers to the bottom line question: how do we reach out and become involved with the majority of students, not just the minority that already listen to Bearcast? I think the idea of conducting focus groups is a great way to get real answers as to what we need to do to make a connection with students, because in the end if we do not connect then we cannot survive as a station.
After reading Ramsey's interview with Douglas Rushkoff; "Making Radio Relevant Again" he made a comment that really stuck with me in stating: " What can I do today to actually make someone else's life better?". All I could think is what a simple question, that if answered truly would make a difference in the perception and overall reception of a DJ or a station in general to listeners. I do not think that many DJs or station managers ask themselves this on a regular basis or at all. When stations only look at numbers, reach, etc thats all they get. They don't get a face, a name, a personality or anything that they need to make a connection with their listeners. Radio is obviously in need of a change, they are in need of a fresh approach and all stations, including Bearcast are included in this need for change. At Bearcast, we have an advantage in this need for change in that; we don't have to worry about experimenting with new shows, ideas or formats and losing numbers or adverstising dollars as larger stations do. We have another advantage over other stations in that those involved with Bearcast are young, ambitious, creative and eager to try out new formats and test out various marketing campaigns. At Bearcast we have the unrestricted freedom to really connect with our listeners, the freedom that we most certainly would not get as an entry level DJ at a mainstream station or even as an established DJ for the most part. My hope for the future of Bearcast is that we take these advantages and stretch them as far as possible, becasue soon enough we will be part of the larger mainstream of the radio industry, and what would be more appealing to a future employer than someone who can say, yeah, I developed this new format or this sort of strategic marketing and guess what it worked and guess what I can bring that to your station and it can work for you.
After reading Ramsey's interview with Douglas Rushkoff; "Making Radio Relevant Again" he made a comment that really stuck with me in stating: " What can I do today to actually make someone else's life better?". All I could think is what a simple question, that if answered truly would make a difference in the perception and overall reception of a DJ or a station in general to listeners. I do not think that many DJs or station managers ask themselves this on a regular basis or at all. When stations only look at numbers, reach, etc thats all they get. They don't get a face, a name, a personality or anything that they need to make a connection with their listeners. Radio is obviously in need of a change, they are in need of a fresh approach and all stations, including Bearcast are included in this need for change. At Bearcast, we have an advantage in this need for change in that; we don't have to worry about experimenting with new shows, ideas or formats and losing numbers or adverstising dollars as larger stations do. We have another advantage over other stations in that those involved with Bearcast are young, ambitious, creative and eager to try out new formats and test out various marketing campaigns. At Bearcast we have the unrestricted freedom to really connect with our listeners, the freedom that we most certainly would not get as an entry level DJ at a mainstream station or even as an established DJ for the most part. My hope for the future of Bearcast is that we take these advantages and stretch them as far as possible, becasue soon enough we will be part of the larger mainstream of the radio industry, and what would be more appealing to a future employer than someone who can say, yeah, I developed this new format or this sort of strategic marketing and guess what it worked and guess what I can bring that to your station and it can work for you.
My Weaknesses
It would be foolish to think that a leader is without flaws, I am not foolish, therefore, I recognize that I have several areas that I would like to improve upon. The first weakness I find with myself that holds me back from being a better leader is that I procrastinate. I am full of these great ideas and wonderful plans, but often find it is too late, because I chose to do other mindless things, despite the fact that I really did want to accomplish whatever task it may have been. I make ‘to-do’lists’ on a regular basis and find myself putting more X marks through various objectives than check marks (check mark means I completed a task). I also find that when looking back at the list most of the things that I accomplish are of mediocre importance in the grand scheme of things, which is frustrating. Although this is not always the case, it is more frequent than not and I would really like to try and improve in this area.
Another area that I feel I have a sub-par ranking in that holds me back from taking on leadership roles within electronic media in particular is my multimedia skills. Yes, multimedia. I know that is essentially a foundation of my program, but since the beginning I have had more of an interest in doing on camera/ on air work, advertising/marketing or sales in the media sector. I am not confident in the fact that if I had to record video, then cut and edit it all on my own that my final product would be anywhere near as good as what some of my peers are capable of. Nonetheless, I am happy and willing to learn in any way I can, because I understand that I will not just walk in to a news station and automatically be placed on camera or that I will walk in to a radio station and be handed a mic. I dismiss this fear sometimes by reminding myself that my concentration is in broadcast, or that I have a desire to work more in the business side of the media industry, but at the same time I feel graduating with a degree in electronic media would have most assume that I at least can operate a camera properly on my own or that I am proficient in some of the various editing programs/tools.
The final quality that if improved upon, would enable me to be a stronger leader would be my indecisiveness. I often second guess myself about how to create something or on the basis of others opinions. I find that in the end most of the time I should have stuck to my original idea; but out of fear of points being deducted or not getting it quite right the first time, I chose the more safe route. Most of my indecisiveness stems on simple unimportant decisions like what I want for dinner, but I find that it sometimes inhibits my creative process as well and I would like to change that.
Another area that I feel I have a sub-par ranking in that holds me back from taking on leadership roles within electronic media in particular is my multimedia skills. Yes, multimedia. I know that is essentially a foundation of my program, but since the beginning I have had more of an interest in doing on camera/ on air work, advertising/marketing or sales in the media sector. I am not confident in the fact that if I had to record video, then cut and edit it all on my own that my final product would be anywhere near as good as what some of my peers are capable of. Nonetheless, I am happy and willing to learn in any way I can, because I understand that I will not just walk in to a news station and automatically be placed on camera or that I will walk in to a radio station and be handed a mic. I dismiss this fear sometimes by reminding myself that my concentration is in broadcast, or that I have a desire to work more in the business side of the media industry, but at the same time I feel graduating with a degree in electronic media would have most assume that I at least can operate a camera properly on my own or that I am proficient in some of the various editing programs/tools.
The final quality that if improved upon, would enable me to be a stronger leader would be my indecisiveness. I often second guess myself about how to create something or on the basis of others opinions. I find that in the end most of the time I should have stuck to my original idea; but out of fear of points being deducted or not getting it quite right the first time, I chose the more safe route. Most of my indecisiveness stems on simple unimportant decisions like what I want for dinner, but I find that it sometimes inhibits my creative process as well and I would like to change that.
My Strengths
My strenghts as a leader are a combination of a supportive family, a solid education, a positive social network and a few tips and random skills that I have picked up along the way. One character attribute that I possess as a leader is attentiveness. In order to lead any group of people or organization one must first know what the people want, in order to know what people want, you must first listen. In dealing with any group large or small there will always be many differing opinions, deciding not only on the solution that will please the majority but also benefit the organization in the long run is key not only in being a good listener but being a successful leader. When I say that I am attentive, I mean that I am honestly attentive; in that I do not just “appear” to be paying attention, but I take notes and really absorb what is being said to me. I truly believe that no matter how convincing you think your face may be, people know when you are really listening versus a head nod here and there. I believe that being attentive is one of the base characteristics that a leader must have.
Another skill that I possess as a leader is that I am informed. I make it a point in my everyday life to stay informed not only about current events but about local happenings in my community and on campus. Being informed is essential, it allows me to engage in conversation with just about anyone on just about anything. Informing myself in a wide variety of fields not only helps me in conversational skills but also enables me to make decisions that are based not only on opinion but on plain facts.
I am a creative and idea-oriented individual. When it comes to strategic marketing and promotions I enjoy and excel at generating original and useful ideas. I am good at visualizing the big picture and how that message will be received by various groups. I strive to create concepts that will take a passive audience member and turn them into an actively engaged consistent listener.
I am positive and personable, I pride myself on seeing the brighter side of the situation. I have an upbeat attitude and enjoy interacting with others everyday. Although I prefer to work on projects alone, I am able to function in a group setting very well, keeping in mind that the outcome will benefit the organization far more than what I could probably do alone. On the whole, I have a temperate personality, I will speak up when I feel it is necessary, but avoid unnecessary arguments or disagreements. These are a few of the character traits that I feel enable me to be successful in a leadership role. Through my participation in Bearcast management I hope to improve greatly upon the skills that I possess and gain a wealth of new ones.
Another skill that I possess as a leader is that I am informed. I make it a point in my everyday life to stay informed not only about current events but about local happenings in my community and on campus. Being informed is essential, it allows me to engage in conversation with just about anyone on just about anything. Informing myself in a wide variety of fields not only helps me in conversational skills but also enables me to make decisions that are based not only on opinion but on plain facts.
I am a creative and idea-oriented individual. When it comes to strategic marketing and promotions I enjoy and excel at generating original and useful ideas. I am good at visualizing the big picture and how that message will be received by various groups. I strive to create concepts that will take a passive audience member and turn them into an actively engaged consistent listener.
I am positive and personable, I pride myself on seeing the brighter side of the situation. I have an upbeat attitude and enjoy interacting with others everyday. Although I prefer to work on projects alone, I am able to function in a group setting very well, keeping in mind that the outcome will benefit the organization far more than what I could probably do alone. On the whole, I have a temperate personality, I will speak up when I feel it is necessary, but avoid unnecessary arguments or disagreements. These are a few of the character traits that I feel enable me to be successful in a leadership role. Through my participation in Bearcast management I hope to improve greatly upon the skills that I possess and gain a wealth of new ones.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
My Role Models
When I think of a leader I think of intelligence, drive,
1. My mother. Yes, I know many people list one of their parents and say where would I be without them, which is very true for me but what is different is my relationship with my mother. I admire my mother because she possesses all of the skills that I lack, and this is a fact that I did not realize until I had moved away from home and really thought back on all that she was able to manage. My mother and I are not extremely close as many mother’s and daughter’s are, I am a ‘daddy’s girl’ put plainly. My mother did not know how to do hair, didn’t have the uncanny passion for shopping that I do, etc. My mother did however have drive and ambition. She never procrastinated, if something needed to be done, whether she had time or not was not an issue or question, it got done. She listened, but then she decided what was beneficial to all of my siblings, not just the needs of one and in the end it always ended up benefiting us all. She is well-rounded and personable, she engages everyone in pleasant conversation with the proper dialogue and tone (which surprisingly is difficult for many people). She proved to me that as long as you have the drive then you’ve more than half way reached your dream.
2.Ronald Regan. Regan commanded a nation with intelligence and confidence, which I admire greatly. He was an excellent speaker and related to the public well but made decisions based not just on what the people wanted but on what was best for America. Although he may not have been well-received at first, as many leaders are, in the end and looking back most can agree that he produced only positive results for his country. He ignored his critics, which is a very difficult thing to do in my mind and set out to accomplish a large agenda, one that was not simple, but one that would work. He truly did work for the people, he let their voices be heard but his as well. The balance that he achieved between what he was asked to do and what would be of benefit is what makes him a role model to me as a leader.
1. My mother. Yes, I know many people list one of their parents and say where would I be without them, which is very true for me but what is different is my relationship with my mother. I admire my mother because she possesses all of the skills that I lack, and this is a fact that I did not realize until I had moved away from home and really thought back on all that she was able to manage. My mother and I are not extremely close as many mother’s and daughter’s are, I am a ‘daddy’s girl’ put plainly. My mother did not know how to do hair, didn’t have the uncanny passion for shopping that I do, etc. My mother did however have drive and ambition. She never procrastinated, if something needed to be done, whether she had time or not was not an issue or question, it got done. She listened, but then she decided what was beneficial to all of my siblings, not just the needs of one and in the end it always ended up benefiting us all. She is well-rounded and personable, she engages everyone in pleasant conversation with the proper dialogue and tone (which surprisingly is difficult for many people). She proved to me that as long as you have the drive then you’ve more than half way reached your dream.
2.Ronald Regan. Regan commanded a nation with intelligence and confidence, which I admire greatly. He was an excellent speaker and related to the public well but made decisions based not just on what the people wanted but on what was best for America. Although he may not have been well-received at first, as many leaders are, in the end and looking back most can agree that he produced only positive results for his country. He ignored his critics, which is a very difficult thing to do in my mind and set out to accomplish a large agenda, one that was not simple, but one that would work. He truly did work for the people, he let their voices be heard but his as well. The balance that he achieved between what he was asked to do and what would be of benefit is what makes him a role model to me as a leader.
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