Keep Your Head In The Game ...

From time to time, everyone gets bored with their job ... even radio personalities. When those moments hit, don't become complacent and go through the motions. Every time the mic is on, it's show time. Think of it this way: It's possible that it might be the only occasion a listener decides if your station is worth listening to. To the best of your ability, make every talking moment count. Radio listening is moment to moment.

Stay Focused ...

Keep your priorities straight, no matter what happens around the station or cluster. Do not get lazy and remember what brought you to the dance. At your core, it's about passion and what you have accomplished through hard work. It's about self-motivation and staying on top of your skill set.

Know Your Place ...

Some personalities tend to forget it's not up to them to make policy. One of the funniest examples of exaggerated importance took place on the sitcom Frasier; there was an episode titled, "She's the Boss." The new station manager suggested changes for his show; marketing, T-shirts, giveaways, bus boards, theme shows, etc. Frasier balked, "I am not changing, and there is nothing you can do to me." His new boss immediately switched him from afternoons to the overnight show.

Keep Growing ...

There is always room for improvement. Go with the flow; you might even learn something. Besides, it's management and programming's job to direct and yours to follow; if it doesn't work it will probably change again anyway. Put your heart into it and do the best you can. It is okay to disagree, but not on the air. In other words, follow instructions. Things are changing in our industry; you need to adapt and stay ahead of the game. Stay open to the possibilities of how you can improve yourself and our business.

Do Your Job & Be Nice ...

Having a bad day in radio is better than a good day in a lot of industries; think about that the next time you think the Production Director has assigned you one too many commercials to voice and produce. New people to this business always ask me the secret to doing well in radio. I tell them, "Mind your own business, don't gossip, stay out of cliques, and be nice." Radio is one of those businesses that only a few have been fortunate enough to make a living from.

Commercial Radio ...

Own and deliver it! Remember the purpose of commercial radio is profit; embrace change until it is changed again. Life is about evolving; if you don't like it, stop complaining and look for another job. However, realize eventually there will be things at your new place of employment not to your liking either. There are no utopias; learn to adjust.

Stay Above The Fray ...

I want air talent, OMs and PDs to remember that at the end of the day, it's all about the music and the overall presentation. Things won't always go your way but do your job regardless. We all know commercial radio is about advertising, but I have never heard of a listener wanting to listen to a station for the commercials.