I want to start this column by giving credit to Stephen A. Smith. Normally on a Monday at 10am ET my ear is glued to one of my clients’ radio stations. This time though, Smith’s Twitter promotion of Magic Johnson’s upcoming appearance on First Take was enough to entice me to take a short break from the radio to watch the interview on television.
And I’m glad I did.
Magic Johnson spent nearly an hour on Monday’s show with Stephen A., Max Kellerman, and Molly Qerim, offering candid answers that had to excite Lakers critics, and infuriate Lakers supporters. Hours before the Lakers would introduce their new head coach Frank Vogel, Johnson went on ESPN’s hit television show and pulled no punches, making it clear he wasn’t a fan of Rob Pelinka (Lakers GM) or the franchise’s executive structure.
As I watched the interview and listened to Magic’s words I came away with a few thoughts for managers in the media industry. Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on for this particular topic, a lot of the issues Magic brought up exist inside radio buildings today. Here are 4 key takeaways.
— Know What You’ve Signed Up For – People accept jobs every day from people they like, trust, and get a good vibe on, but they forget that they haven’t committed to work for that person, they’ve actually entered into an agreement with the company they represent. This is where LeBron James messed up. He signed a deal with the Lakers, not Magic Johnson. Maybe Magic could’ve given him a heads up that he was leaving but he didn’t owe him one.
Magic agreed to become President of the Lakers because he loved Jeanie Buss and her family and wanted to help the franchise return to glory. He thought the job came with unyielding power and the ability to work on his own schedule. Two years later though he’s gone scorched earth on the franchise because the structure and needs of the organization changed. Magic has a right to be upset that promises were broken, but as a successful businessman himself, he knows better than most that different situations require adjustments, and jobs of this magnitude become more demanding not less.
We see this a lot in radio. Stations get bought or sold making prior promises to employees invalid. Bosses retire, get fired, or leave for new opportunities, leaving people behind who agreed to come work for them. A great example exists in college sports where coaches flock to bigger money jobs while kids who gave their commitment to the school get blindsided. In some instances, PD’s or GM’s may be asked to manage additional stations/people, take on extra corporate responsibilities with no monetary gain, or achieve the same results with smaller budgets. It isn’t ideal, but that’s the world of business in 2019.
The bottom line, the contract you sign is with the company. Not the person who you’ve accepted it from. Your responsibilities will change, so too will the finances you’re able to work with. That will frustrate you at times. But those who roll with the punches and make the most of it will stick around longer than those who bitch and moan about the ‘new way of doing things’.
— Address Issues Immediately – Magic mentioned that he began to hear from people inside the building that Pelinka was questioning his work ethic. Soon that led to hearing from people outside the building saying the same thing. Magic had every right to be bothered by these remarks, but messed up when he failed to address them in person.
Did Pelinka know the full extent of what Jeanie Buss allowed Magic to do? Maybe he did and was jealous of that arrangement because he was grinding away and the franchise needed full time focus. Did he ever express to Magic that he needed his help more? Regardless, if Magic met with Rob, told him what he’s heard and how he felt about it, the two men could’ve probably squashed it or at least moved forward. Now that bridge has collapsed even if Pelinka tries to play nice in front of the media.
This too is a frequent media issue. Hosts bitch behind the backs of their producers because they don’t like something they’re doing. Sellers complain about other account executives getting better lists. PD’s express frustration over the way their GM’s handle specific situations. Whichever issue it is, you get a lot more done by tackling things head on. It also gives you clarity on what you can expect going forward.
— Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen – Magic mentioned that everyone had a voice on key issues from the Buss brothers to Jeanie to Rob, and Tim Harris (Lakers business manager). That came into play when he wanted to fire Luke Walton. Kurt and Linda Rambis are reportedly involved too, and Magic said Jeanie may also seek input from Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant.
Do you need that many people weighing in on each key issue? No. If you do then it speaks volumes about your confidence and trust in your lead decision maker. In this case, it showed that Jeanie wasn’t sure of Magic’s final recommendations.
Once again, another regular occurrence inside media circles. One key programming move shouldn’t require 8-9 people’s sign off. That frustrates managers and leads them to become timid, disgruntled or seek new opportunities. It also creates a perception internally that the brand leader doesn’t have the muscle to make things happen.
If you’re going to hire a person to manage your property, you’ve got to empower them and let them do their job. If people feel they can run to the corner office to get out of things their boss deems important, then that manager in the corner office will face bigger problems in the future. You also can’t run an organization worrying about being liked, hurting people’s feelings, and including everyone in each process. Tough decisions are part of running a business, and someone has to make hard choices.
If you outline expectations, hold people accountable, develop a small circle of trust, and let those on the inside know how the process for how critical decisions will be carried out, you’ll save a lot of time, and keep your blood pressure in check.
Management Is a FT Responsibility – Magic Johnson was upfront with Jeanie Buss about what he was willing and unwilling to give up in order to become the President of the Lakers. Jeanie’s mistake was accepting it. A position that important demands a FT commitment. Buss should’ve looked closer at the needs of the job and past her admiration for Magic.
I’ve been involved in radio for over two decades so I’ve seen a lot of these type of situations occur. Some managers become consumed by power, popularity and paychecks, but aren’t interested in leading entire buildings. Others exit at 11am and spend no time meeting with their staff or creating ideas to drive ratings and revenue yet want to pick the lineup. I’ve even seen a boss arrive at work drunk, and others make excuses and do their work for them. It sounds simple, but when you empower poor behavior you end up with poor leadership and results.
Ironically, when I programmed I had a situation that could’ve been a deterrent for employers, but fortunately it wasn’t. Being a divorced Dad I spent 9 years flying to NY every other Friday to spend weekends with my son. That meant up to 26 Friday’s away from the office, not including my vacation time or holidays. I actually had someone once tell me during a negotiation ‘that’s a little excessive and may prevent us from getting a deal done.’ My response ‘good luck with your search then because my son is not a bargaining chip’.
I could understand it if people on the outside looked at my schedule the way Pelinka looked at Magic’s. But as most folks who worked with me would tell you, I lived and breathed the job 24/7. It’s one thing to be physically away and another to be mentally absent. The key is making sure those inside your walls aren’t given reasons to question your commitment.
Conclusion:
If Magic Johnson wasn’t mentally invested in running the Lakers the way the franchise needed him to then that’s on the organization for agreeing to a structure that was doomed from the start. But just because they created the mess, doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to clean it up. Magic had his reasons for not wanting to become a slave to the grind. The Lakers felt they needed more. Which is why being apart is best for all involved.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
