Boosting Morale

In any business, a manager is either the "morale booster" or "morale buster" ... there is no in between. With a creative program, positive spirit will flourish and lead to higher productivity from all departments. Here's how you can improve the morale of your on-air staff(s).

Spend quality time with your air staff(s)

The air staff's boss, the PD, probably spends less than half an hour a day with each on-air personality. Too often, the time is spent on conversation not directly related to doing the best show. Some PDs spend a small, but intense, regular period of time with each of their prime talent working or talking about one thing.

Get out of your office and get involved

Get away from the desk and do some MBWA (management by walking around). You will be amazed at how many people you'll interact with and the things you will learn. Plus, maintaining visibility within the station never hurts. Successful stations seem to have program directors who are literally tuned in to everything that happens on the air. They attend station promotions, appearances, remotes and events.

Catch them doing something good

When you hear something you really like on the air, respond quickly as a "reward" call on the hotline and praise the talent. Jocks love to hear positive feedback. It's uplifting. You might be surprised how many PDs still use the hotline for negative feedback only.

Write fewer e-mails

Conduct regular face-to-face meetings with your air staff. Show them a little love once in a while. And for goodness sakes, feed them -- they love when you treat them to lunch, etc. One PD at an affiliate station with only three employees was constantly deluged with e-mails from the owner. It went against his grain and would probably grate on most people. Talk to your people ... cut down on e-mails when possible.

Honesty is the best policy between PDs and air staffs

It may sound like a cliché, but sometimes it's overlooked. Although there are obvious circumstances where you have to respect the confidentiality of your GM or the company, you should always be honest, fair and open with your air staff. It's just smart management.

Try a new tactic: Creative Airchecks

Assuming that you conduct regular aircheck meetings, have your air staff aircheck constantly. At least once a month, approach a jock and ask for an aircheck (pick a day) from the past week. The request will always seem spontaneous and a jock will never know that an aircheck from a specific show will be the one that the PD will be reviewing.

Save the toughest criticism for what is wrong with the aircheck of your competitor. Follow an aircheck review with an appraisal of what your closest competitor is doing right and wrong.

Set achievable goals

Everyone's goals should be different. With the personalities, customize their goals based on experience, seniority, competence and ratings history. At the same time, share the station's overall ratings goals and competitive issues with the talent.

But avoid making the goals of the individual too broad. Address a problem that the personality can attack, such as boosting the share of Women 25-34 who listen to his or her show.

Put it in writing

Schedule periodic written evaluations after three to six months with a new employee -- and at least annually thereafter.

With the "DOs" also point out the "DON'Ts"

Creative personalities should be given relatively loose reins in what they do on their shows. At the same time, it should be clear, in writing, what the station considers to be on-air "no-no's."

Show them the money

When the goals are achieved, stations pay the personalities. The money typically is a one-shot bonus and doesn't equal what a one-year merit raise might total. Don't delay paying out the bonuses like one owner I knew -- which turned what should have been an "Oh Wow!" into an "Oh No."

Some stations believe bonuses should be a surprise. Others get down to money talk with their on-air personalities when they begin goal setting. That way the talent knows up front how much it means to them in dollars.

Don't show them the money

Cash slips through their hands too easily. It just isn't memorable enough. While cash in their pockets won't hurt morale, it often loses its effectiveness in boosting it. Give them an HD television ... audio gear ... vacations and dinners at nice restaurants. With the goods, they will remember the station and their reward.

Put together a station retreat

This is no small thing, but something that can boost everyone's morale: A massive rescheduling of airtime over the weekend so the entire full-time station staff can go to a resort for the weekend to play. No work, no meetings, just enjoying and getting to know each other.