Because I grew up in the radio business, I moved into management at a much younger age than most people do. While I knew a lot about radio, I knew very little about how to manage people. So, when it came time to have conversations about disciplinary action or termination my approach was just to rip the Band-Aid off and get right to it. Because I’d worked with bosses who beat around the bush when everyone in the meeting knew what was coming and I didn’t see the point of that. There are certainly meetings were getting right to the point is warranted but often this approach made people think I was cold and lacked empathy. I also started at a time when you’d let someone go, post for it, and within days you’d have 100 applications in your inbox. Now we’re lucky to have 10. So, since then I’ve softened my approach and worked with some great mentors who taught me how to word things where they land better. However, one lesson I’ve learned over the years that has not changed is this. An uncomfortable conversation never gets easier the longer you delay it.
Not just in radio, but managers in all types of businesses have a tendency to avoid the hard conversations with their staff and put them off for weeks, months and even years. As a consultant part of my job is to have the uncomfortable conversations that most people avoid. That’s part of what I’m paid to do and in some ways it’s easier because I’m not as close to it but I’m still close enough to assess what needs to happen, especially when I’m on the same page as the people who are closer to the situation. Having been involved with and led thousands of uncomfortable conversations with radio employees, here are a few of the tricks I’ve learned.
Assign roles. If there’s more than one person in the meeting, which there should be if possible so there’s a witness, make it clear whose running point.
Stick to the facts. Don’t speculate or jump to conclusions. Mention things that are black and white without venturing into grey areas.
Stay on topic. Decide ahead of time the issue to focus on and don’t get walked into mentioning a laundry list of other unrelated things they are doing wrong despite how annoying those things are.
Hear them out but don’t let it turn into an argument. The cliché cooler heads prevail is a cliché for a reason, it’s true. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve lost my cool and yelled in one of these meetings and those never ended well. It’s human nature to want to match someone’s energy in tense situations but letting our emotions get the better of us when we’re the one in charge keeps us from thinking clearly and leads us off message.
Don’t say more than you must to avoid saying anything that could lead to a lawsuit. But, let them say whatever they want and don’t take the bait.
Put everything in writing and document the meeting immediately afterwards while the details are fresh on your mind.
When I started in this business people were probably too quick to have the difficult conversations. At that time, it almost seemed like many radio managers actually enjoyed confrontation. I never understood that and I by no means enjoy confrontation, I just know the consequences of avoiding confrontation when it’s necessary. Now the opposite problem exists because budgets are smaller, stations are running with skeleton crews and there isn’t a huge crop of young people looking to get into our industry. But, when staffs are small the damage one bad employee can have is amplified.
What do you think? What’s your approach to uncomfortable conversations and have you ever found yourself avoiding them? Comment below or email me at Andy@RadioStationConsultant.com.
Pic designed by Drazen Zigic for Magnific.com.