Hi there.
You may know of me.
You might not.
My name is Ryan Maguire. And for the better part of three decades, I’ve worked as a Program Director in spoken word radio (or as they’re now referring to the position, “Content Director”).
I’ve managed stations and broadcast networks in both sports and news talk in nine different markets across the country. I’ve lived on both the East Coast and the West Coast and in various parts of the Midwest.
I’ve worked for all the big operators (iHeart, Audacy, Cumulus), a few locally owned stations and even for some companies that don’t even exist anymore.
Now, depending in who you talk to, you’ll hear different things about me. Some people will say I’m a great guy and a sharp content mind. Some will tell you that I’m a clueless jerk. Hey, you don’t spend thirty years in one industry without rubbing a few people the wrong way…even if you never intended to do so.
Anyways, I’m writing you this letter to congratulate you on becoming a new Program Dir….er…CONTENT DIRECTOR (old habits die hard, my apologies) and offer you some advice that I feel you will find useful.
First, it’s hard to get a gig in an industry as competitive as ours. I’m sure that you went through a long road to get here, which included beating out a LOT of other applicants. Kudos to you for that!
Second, you’re about to embark on the biggest challenge of your career. You may think you know how tough this job is but trust me…it’s going to be a LOT tougher. Here’s the good part, as tough as this job is, you could make it one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
Look, I don’t have all the answers. I’ve won and I’ve lost. What I do have, is experience and knowledge gained through making plenty of mistakes.
I could write you a novel of clever ideas and concepts to be successful in your position. But trust me, you aren’t going to have that much free time on your hands. So, I’ll boil it down to five key things that I feel are important for you to keep in mind.
Here they are….
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
So, I’m sure you’ve heard that Ted Lasso is all the rage right now. I honestly haven’t seen one minute of the show. Not because I don’t want to, but simply because I don’t want to sign up for ONE MORE streaming service. That being said, I don’t need to see Jason Sudeikis’ quaint comedy to be able to tell you that personal relationships are worth their weight in gold for anyone in a leadership position.
You must manage up, manage down, and manage sideways. Here’s the dirty little secret about most people: they have to LIKE who they work with. If they don’t, they’ll find something else to do. Hey, we’re living in the gig economy, don’t tempt talented people to take advantage of that.
GET SOME WINS AND GET THEM EARLY
The worst label that a new manager can have is that of an “empty suit”. The best way to earn the respect of your teammates is to show them that you can get things done. Find a way to push some things through that have been stuck in the pipeline. If you can’t, you run the risk of people tuning you out early.
This can be something simple. Maybe it’s better communication between departments. Maybe it’s getting a lagging expense report approved. Maybe it’s getting the TV in the bullpen fixed. Just find a way to prove to people that you’re not an “all talk and no action” type of person.
Whenever I get a new gig, I always have 1-on-1s with everyone associated with the brand and I ask them “What do you NEED from me?”. Press them for honest answers.
BE HONEST AND DIRECT
Trust me, everyone on the team wants to know what you think. Don’t leave them guessing. One of the biggest things that stress any employee out is NOT knowing where they stand with the boss. Don’t have a poker face. If you like something they did, TELL THEM. Don’t offer false flattery. Tell them what you liked about it and why. And whatever you do, don’t dance around conversations that are difficult. Not everyone is going to like what you have to say, no matter how well you sugar coat it. Hell, some may even PRETEND to be okay with what you’re saying and them MF you in their car on the way home. However, if you’ve successfully cultivated a relationship with your teammates, they will understand that what you’re saying is genuine and coming from a place of wanting to make them better. You’ll get pushback from time to time. It’s only natural.
FOCUS ON YOUR OWN HOUSE, NOT THE COMPETITION
If you’re like me, you’re a competitive person. You don’t like to lose to the stations across the street. You want to get better ratings, better streaming and digital numbers and higher billing. Hey, we ALL love bragging rights.
Here’s the deal: the more you focus on the competition, the harder your job is going to be. Instead, make the focus of all the metrics you track more about YOU and less about THEM. Did you grow your numbers month over month, quarter over quarter and year over year? If not, why? Focus on making yourself better. The rest usually takes care of itself.
DARE OTHERS TO INNOVATE AND CREATE
This can be difficult in an era of corporate pushdowns, but it’s one that you must keep striving for. We work in an industry that has been STARVED for innovative ideas. Why? We never truly empowered people to produce them. Always be collaborating with your teammates. ALL of them. Full-time, part-time and everyone else in-between.
Maybe it’s a promotion, a new show segment, a new podcast, an event idea, or some wacky concept that you can hardly understand. TAKE THEM ALL IN. It’s unlikely that all the best ideas are going to be yours. Don’t worry, that’s a GOOD thing. The more you show your teammates that you want to back their ideas, the stronger they will work to make sure that the ideas succeed.
Those are the best pieces of advice I can give you. I certainly hope that they help.
If you ever have something you want to collab on or just someone that you need to vent to, feel free to reach out. Like you, I’ve made my life’s work my hobby and talking shop never gets old.
All the best and continued success!
Sincerely,
Ryan Maguire
Ryan Maguire is a columnist for BSM, and a longtime sports and news radio program director. He has managed KIRO-FM in Seattle, WQAM in Miami, 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, 610 Sports in Kansas City, and 105.7/1250 The Fan in Milwaukee. Presently, Ryan serves as the Executive Producer of Chicago White Sox baseball on ESPN 1000 in Chicago. Originally from Michigan, Ryan still holds out hope that the Detroit Lions will one day deliver a Super Bowl title. He can be reached on Twitter @RMaguire1701.
