"I didn't get where I am by thinking about it or dreaming it. I got there by doing it." Estee Lauder

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized." Sun Tzu

"When someone says they don't mind, they mind." Johnny Martin


The 10th and most important step. The one I took off the list, making the list nine in number.

That was totally wrong.

Here's the deal. If you had asked me to give you only one suggestion, a single suggestion that would make a difference in the performance of your talent, my one BIG idea, it would have been the 10th step, the one I took off the list.

Day job anecdotal evidence: This single suggestion is the secret of how we were able to take a #6 morning radio show to #2 without changing any of the players, without a penny of promotion or advertising. This simple suggestion is how we were able to take a #4 11pm news show to #2 without changing any of the players, without a dime of additional promotion. In both cases our 2008 goal is to be #1 and we will be (our clients are in total agreement and are now budgeting as the market leader). This approach helped us to take the #4 billing cluster to the #2 biller position (same sales team, same ratings). On the day job we have a deep understanding, appreciation and respect for this approach because we know it produces results.

I share this here today in the hope you will take advantage of the concept and, understanding this to be nothing less than really, really hard work, know that it is work that you can master. So here it is...

Performance is process. You must honor the moment. You need to fully understand and appreciate the incredible power of your influence. The #1 hobby of every talent is watching, listening to and talking about you and others on the crack management team. Talent are sensitive creative animals, they are dialed-in to nuance. They are children walking around in adult bodies. One of the very best returns on investment is getting serious about adult learning.

Let me introduce some literature from learning theory...

"The most important question which remains is that which asks how a teacher's expectation becomes translated into behavior in such a way as to elicit the expected pupil behavior." (Reference - PDF)

Pygmalion

Here is the theory in brief. When managers expect the best from performers they get the best. When managers expect the worst they get it. J. Sterling Livingston is author of the now famous 1969 Harvard Business Review writing - Pygmalion in Management. Good old J. said...

"What managers expect of subordinates and the way they treat them largely determine their performance and career progress."

Please read that last sentence again. Write it down. Think about this everyday. Two words...

Expect

Treat

Those are the two keys that will unleash incredible success with talent.

What you expect of them.

The way you treat them.

Expect great things and treat them like stars and you will get success beyond your dreams.

Stanislavski taught...

"Stimulate in an actor an appetite for his part. This preserves the freedom of the creative artist."

It was the legendary Paul Drew who taught me the lesson; being #1 starts with thinking about, planning on and being #1. "Dave, every NFL team begins the season with a playbook, a detailed plan to take them to the Super Bowl. Dave, what is your plan?" As ever, PD was spot-on! Thank you very much Paul!

Go for greatness! Nothing less.

All things Classic Rock: Dan Kelley offers up a blog for radio programmers here. My thanks to Dan for his kind words and for links to this humble blog.

Congrats & cheers: Matt Creamer now blogging here. Thanks to Max Kalehoff for the tip.

Bonus: The brilliant Bob Henabery on Bill Drake and Rick Sklar - a killer writing here.

Have an amazing weekend. See you next week in a brand new show!