It’s the time of year, when we all try and figure out the future. Although all we have is NOW, we somehow feel comfort is trying out our predictions nonetheless.
As I watch my media brethren brace for tough times, I wonder how we will all survive. I can tell you one thing – it won’t be by holding cards close to chests and hoping the other guy blinks. It will be by working in truly integrated solution-based relationships.
Friends will hire more friends – that’s a practice as old as humankind – but will be even more widespread now than ever. This is not about giving a buddy a contract because he’s your buddy. This is about working with more people you trust over those you don’t trust or don’t know. That trust is built through actions, not favors.
The Bush Administration is working on a solution for the Big Three – one may be bankruptcy. I am in the media production creation world and the first story I read yesterday was that the ad agency on the Chrysler account just laid off a bunch of people.
So now what? What do we do? Well, here are some suggestions...
◦ Be Honest
◦ Care for relationships as you care for yourself
◦ Say “I don’t know but I will find out” more often
◦ Phone more and email less
◦ Listen more and talk less
◦ Deliver what you say you will deliver, no really!
◦ Be accountable and work with people who are accountable
◦ Mean it
◦ Create win/wins or prepare to hear a lot of no’s
◦ Take the time and take the call
◦ Ask more than tell
◦ Understand that no one has all the answers
Social media will grow and morph, business will change, the economy will never look the same, technology will emerge, medical breakthroughs will continue, the list goes on ...but at the core is how we interact with and treat each other.
When I was a radio consultant, I had a mentor once tell me that no one wants to hear that they have an ugly baby. Though I am now producing more visual stuff than radio stuff, he and I still exchanged emails yesterday and agreed to stay in touch - and we both mean it despite the fact that we don't have any current direct work with each other.
When I had the awesome privilege of leading the build of two new radio stations from scratch, what was always front and center was the commonality of co-creating as a team. There was no time for egos and turf wars. None of us have time for that. Especially now.
So as we slam headlong in to more doom and gloom that may be 2009, if you want to keep your head down, aim for the middle, subscribe to the “good enough will do” mantra, your wish will be granted. But if you surround and immerse yourself with people who support you because you support them, butt-covering will become less necessary.
I know, this is revolutionary stuff. The point is – do we do it? We also know we should eat five servings of fruits and veggies every day.
km
