Assumptions On Your Part ...

All of us have had times when we're thinking one thing and it turns out to be something else entirely. As we get more life experience, we try to avoid making assumptions, but sometimes we still get caught up in it. Somewhere along the line most of us eventually learn to take a closer look before we assume.

Pay Attention ...
One of the things I love about radio is that it can be subjective and objective at the same time, for those in the office and for our listeners. But that requires that we listen in a different way. Creative and programming decisions can be based on fact, opinion, wishful thinking, or someone who refuses to recognize the truth.

Open Your Mouth ...
You are next in line for a promotion and when the job becomes open, you assume management will offer it to you. Instead, someone else who went after the position aggressively gets it instead. You assumed and lost out. No one can read your mind. You have to tell people what you want.

The Thought Didn’t Cross Your Mind ...
You found a new web designer to build your station website. Once it was up and running, you had a hard time getting in touch with the designer to make content changes. You assumed the person would always be easily available. You never bothered to ask, and the designer never mentioned anything about maintenance work on the site. You assumed. Many of us have done what you did at least once.

Never Leave A Meeting Not Knowing ...
You’re in a meeting, either in person or by zoom call. Someone makes a point, and then everyone nods their head as if they understand. Bad assumption. Sometimes everybody just wants to get out of the room as quickly as possible. So, if you don’t have a clear understanding of what someone said during the meeting, wait until afterwards and ask that person away from other ears what they actually meant.

From My Own Experience ...
I remember a situation where other air personalities were coming to me for an explanation of what our Program Director (PD) was saying in memos he sent out. These were smart people, but I had worked with the PD elsewhere and understood that his well-written directives read like great literature instead of simple explanations. I can still hear myself saying, "He was saying you should read the liner last in your talkset before going into the commercial break." The air personalities would say back to me, "Well why didn't he just say that?” That PD assumed the entire air staff understood his memos.

The Client Is Not Always Happy…
That’s a good assumption until you're stuck at a paid personal appearance without a salesperson on hand to fix any issues that might come up. No client ever wants to upset the air talent who's broadcasting from their place of business. Often the very next day the air personality finds out that the friendly client was doing a better job of acting they were -- and that the Sales Manager got an earful of grips about the event.

I Can’t Say It Enough ...
At the risk of repeating myself, don’t assume anything. Think, then think some more and your percentage for knowing what you see or hear will increase. That’s an assumption on my part.