This month the MPR’s of Programming continues as we explore the basics of the silent M’s…Management and Morale. In review, the MPR’s are an alphabetical programming checklist which help a radio station analyze their Music, Morning Show, Marketing, Management/Morale, Promotions, Production, Positioning, Personalities, Research, Ratings, and Revenue.

Earlier this year, when I wrote the introductory article to the MPR’s of Programming, I mentioned that the successful programming of the first three "M’s"….a well focused Music product, a successfully entertaining Morning Show, and a creatively effective Marketing plan contribute about 75% to the overall success of your radio station.

But the two silent "M’s" should be added to the three "M’s" listed above. Great Management leads to positive Morale…..intangibles that fuel the success of any radio station. Conversely, poor Management hurts station Morale and can hinder the success of a radio station that may already master the first three "M’s".

What are you doing as a programmer to successfully manage your radio station’s morale? Is communication with your staff a one-sided conversation or a two-sided dialogue? Are you truly a Program "Director" or more of a Program "Dictator"? Do you park your ego at the door or does it run rampant throughout the building?

People Or Politics

Managing a radio station’s personnel has usually not been one of the main criteria for becoming a Program Director or even a General Manager. Most Program Director’s have risen to this position through either their mastery of the music or being the best "jock" on the staff. General Managers have very often acquired their position’s based on their strength as great Sales Manager’s.

In both cases, the actual management of people is not necessarily the key determining factor in becoming a PD or GM. Yet, these two positions very often dictate the radio station’s management style and ultimately the morale that follows.

I call Management and Morale the silent "M’s" because these two very important elements are very often swept under the carpet in discussions about a radio station’s general effectiveness. In my twenty years in broadcasting, the amount of time I’ve seen radio station’s waste on inner office politics is very often a direct result of a weak management structure.

As an industry, we need to instill the qualities of positively managing our people much more than we spend time on practicing politics. Let’s start with putting a premium on a GM or PD’s ability to manage people as much as we value their ability to manage the music or sales.

With this basic tenet in mind, what are you doing as a programmer or manager to successfully manage your radio station’s morale? The answers to these questions can be quite complex, but at the very least, if you’ve even pondered this question, you’re already heading in the right direction.

Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden was more than just a legendary success on the basketball court. He was a master of the silent "M’s". One of his favorite maxims about leadership can be used as a foundation to mastering the art of Management and Morale. "Great leaders aren’t concerned with always being right….they’re concerned with doing what it takes to make things work."

According to Wooden, "a leader’s most powerful ally is his or her own example. Leaders don’t just talk about doing something; they do it." John Wooden was certainly a leader that "walked the walk". His meticulous preparation and methodical approach to managing his players created an atmosphere of success and positive morale.

Certainly, the art of honest communication is a basic element in managing and creating positive morale. Almost every top management book that’s ever been written stresses the importance of strong communication as an asset in effectively managing people.

Stephen R. Covey’s landmark book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" stressed the principles of "empathetic communication" as one of the major habits of successful managers. Covey believed that we should "seek first to understand, then be understood."

This form of communication definitely promotes a two-sided dialogue as opposed to a one-side conversation. Covey’s principles stressed this type of communication as an "empowering" force in creating a work environment based on "listening" and "understanding", ultimately creating a positive "synergy" that breeds success.

In his book, "Leading Change", management consultant James O’Toole talks about the kind of leadership style that Covey champions. "Value-based management promotes value-based leaders" says O’Toole. "They listen carefully to their followers out of a deep respect for them as individuals and develop a vision that they will embrace because it is based on their highest aspirations."

"To be effective," writes O’Toole, "leaders must begin by setting aside that culturally conditioned ‘natural’ instinct to lead by push, particularly when times are tough. Leaders must instead adopt the unnatural behavior of always leading by the pull of inspiring values."

While this may be heady stuff to most radio programmer’s, "value-based" management offers a consistent thread of success in managing people effectively. Conversely, as far back as 1937, the inspirational classic "Think And Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill cited the emphasis of "authority" as one of the major causes of failure in leadership.

"The efficient leader leads by encouraging," notes Hill, "and NOT by trying to instill fear in the hearts of his followers. The leader who tries to impress his followers with his ‘authority’ comes within the category of leadership through force. If a leader is a real leader, he will have no need to advertise that fact except by his conduct-his sympathy, understanding, fairness, and a demonstration that he knows his job."

This type of "compassionate" leadership has been the foundation for one of the most successful coaches in the history of professional sports. Phil Jackson, former head coach of the Chicago Bulls, managed Michael Jordan and the Bulls to six NBA titles in the last decade espousing a paradigm of leadership based on Eastern and Native American principles.

In his best selling book "Sacred Hoops", Jackson waxed poetic about the importance of teamwork minus ego in developing a winning atmosphere.

"The day I took over the Bulls, I vowed to create an environment based on the principles of selflessness and compassion."

"I knew that the only way to win consistently was to give everybody a vital role on the team," writes Jackson, "and inspire them to be acutely aware of what was happening, even when the spotlight was on somebody else. More than anything, I wanted to build a team that would blend individual talent with a heightened group consciousness."

Another key element in effectively managing people is the ability to take responsibility for one’s actions…both positive and negative. Owning up to "doing the right thing" at all times is a masterful way to demonstrate integrity while gaining the respect of your troops .

Hill’s brilliant book "Think and Grow Rich" cites the willingness to assume full responsibility as one of the major attributes of leadership. Hill felt "the successful leader must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and the shortcomings of his followers."

"If he tries to shift this responsibility," notes Hill, "he will not remain the leader. If one of his followers makes a mistake, and shows himself incompetent, the leader must consider that it is he who failed."

When Jackson coached the Bull’s, despite the numerous championships and accolades he and his players received, he was not afraid to admit when he made a mistake. "Every leader has weaknesses and screws up some of the time. An effective leader learns to admit that."

A programmer or manager can really learn to manage a radio station’s morale quite effectively by practicing the principles of communication, compassionate leadership, building team work, and taking responsibility. But beyond these proven and well-documented management elements lies a very powerful finishing touch.

Creating a management mission statement for your radio station is an effective way of enlisting your employees and encouraging them to work toward the same goals. Have them participate in the process so that everyone has a say in the principles that are important to the collective group.

Covey heralded the idea of creating personal and professional mission statements as a key principle of personal leadership. Covey called this concept "Begin with the End in Mind". He wrote about visualizing an experience that would touch one’s "deep, fundamental values."

Former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz, once called a "motivational miracle worker", concludes his wonderful book "Winning Every Day" with his own three principled mission statement….the last of which is "Do You Care About Me?"

"When you concern yourself with the welfare of others," writes Holtz, " you engender loyalty and respect. You create value. And you acquire power. Remember the adage, People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

Imagine for a moment the possibilities of creating the perfect work environment. It could be as simple as asking your employees what that environment should be. It could be as simple as telling them you’re doing it because you care. Think about how you can turn this "ideal" into the real deal.