You don’t have to be a wrestling fan to be familiar with John Cena. If you are, then you had the privilege of watching him perform for over two decades. Whether you chanted ‘Let’s Go Cena’ or ‘Cena Sucks’, John made you care about the stories he was involved in. That’s the sign of great talent. They understand how to connect with an audience.
John Cena’s final WWE match on Saturday Night produced a ton of emotion. As fans, we want to see our heroes go out on top. In the world of professional wrestling though, endings are often used to elevate the next top star. John Cena did that Saturday night for Gunther when he did something he’s rarely done, tapped out. Cena smiled before doing so, signaling to the audience that his time was up. He was at peace with his career and this was the final scene.
On a side note, nobody does production better than the WWE team when big moments are involved. What an outstanding job by the production and digital crews leading up to Saturday night. This piece and the video down below were incredible. Showcasing Cena’s 25-year career and what made him beloved in less than five minutes isn’t easy. WWE captured it perfectly.
But today’s column isn’t about wrestling matches, John Cena’s legacy or the emotional moments from Saturday night. It’s about what John said and did last week.
When asked to reflect on his career by Pat McAfee, Cena said he was handed a lottery ticket. He often wondered if he did enough with it. Yet nearly every single WWE performer praised John Cena’s work ethic and dedication when commenting on his career. All recognized how much he gave of himself to his profession and why he became one of the greatest of all time.
John left his tennis shoes and arm bands in the ring Saturday night. The ring was surrounded by the entire roster as fans cried and clapped, thanking him for all he’d done. In everyone else’s eyes, Cena clearly made the most of the lottery ticket he received.
As I thought about his words, I wondered how many in our business could say they’ve done the same.
Do you wake up every day, chomping at the bit to dive into your work? Are you consistently excellent from segment to segment? Are you investing time in learning, improving, and evolving as a talent or leader? Do you deeply care about the brand’s success and willing to use your platform to lift others? Do you understand the audience’s and advertiser’s expectations and have unique ideas to keep them interested?
Entertaining people is a privilege. We get to represent known and trusted outlets, becoming a part of the audience’s life. Advertisers invest in us because they recognize our connection and trust us to use it to help sell their products. Listeners and viewers invest hours, days, weeks, months, years and decades listening, watching and talking about us. We are their friend on the other end, and a valued distraction from the regular grind.
In many businesses, people do just enough to get by. They’re fine being a face in the crowd or installing the steering wheel rather than driving the car. I struggle to connect with folks who think that way because I live and breathe what I do. From working 60-70 hour weeks during my first year in radio for $100 per week to leading stations as a PD, producing a national sports talk show or building the brand you now read, anything I’ve ever earned has been the result of passion and effort. There are more skilled, experienced, polished and connected people than me. Few care more or will work harder though.
How many times in your place of business have you heard someone say, ‘that’s above my pay grade’? Others may say ‘I didn’t sign up for that’ or ‘if they want me to do more they can pay me more.’ I’ve never liked that attitude and approach. If you are invested in your career, love your work, and care about the brand you represent, the audience you serve, and the people that you work with, you want to do whatever is needed to create success. It’s hard enough keeping an audience interested and advertisers invested. You can’t do either with anchors in your workplace dragging others down.
I interviewed Dave Greene a few years ago for our Sports Editor role. When I explained what was involved with what we do Dave said, ‘I’m not above taking out the trash’. It was a great response. How many in your place of business carry that mentality into the workplace? As resources shrink and job descriptions change, who do you think stands a better chance of surviving, the one who’s flexible or not?
Last year, WWE CEO Nick Khan explained why he can’t stand out of office messages. He said that if someone is reaching out it’s because they need an answer to something and it doesn’t take long to respond. Some might say ‘Nick should disconnect from his work’, but if you love what you do, why would you want to? If the worst thing people can say is that you care too much about your work, is that really a negative? It means you have a passion and love for what you do and who you do it for. Many who say that lack the same amount of passion and love for their profession.
Look at the most successful people in any line of work. Do you think they reached the top by working and caring M-F 8a-5p? From professional sports to politics to recording artists to business owners, A+ players dedicate their lives to what they do. They fail, learn, evolve, improve, and work their asses off to be successful and indispensable.
Which brings me back to John Cena.
John was the face of the company for a large part of his career. He understood the audience, adapted to meet their demands, and accepted the responsibility that came with being the franchise player. He did the autograph signings, made the early morning TV appearances, and worked the heavy in-ring schedule.
But just as important as wrestling a five-star match, John understood the business responsibilities too.
He led by example and used his opportunities to help teach and push future talent. He took seriously his role in selling tickets, merchandise, and growing WWE’s TV ratings and digital traffic. John even learned foreign languages to communicate better with foreign crowds. How many performers care enough about their craft and the company’s success to do that?
Perhaps most important, he embraced Make-a-Wish visits unlike any human being ever has. In the process, he changed lives.
Early in my career I interviewed Cena on my former wrestling radio show in Poughkeepsie, NY. John was a year or two into his WWE run at that time. It didn’t matter what market I was in, he treated it like a huge opportunity. Total Wrestling Magazine in the UK wound up publishing that interview.
Years later, I saw John interact with my son and nephew at multiple shows. Each time he showed gratitude to Dylan and every other fan who came to see him. His popularity had soared by then but it never changed who he was or how he treated people. It’s easy to root for stars who consistently do and say the right thing.
In John’s final in-ring moment, with audience interest and engagement at its peak, he used his opportunity to push the next star forward. Many hated the ending because they loved John and wanted to see him win, but John understood what mattered most in that situation. It was about closing one chapter and starting the next. Anyone who has followed John Cena knows he has done this his entire career.
Because John Cena listened, adapted, and invested himself in his work, he reaped the rewards of an amazing career. Hustle, Loyalty and Respect were more than three words used to generate attention and revenue. They reflected John Cena’s character and commitment, and were the foundation for his connection with the audience. Years from now when people look back on John’s WWE career, they’ll fondly remember what he did, what he stood for, and how he made them feel. He poured his heart and soul into everything he did.
Legends are made regularly in every business. The best breathe rarefied air, and become unforgettable, producing a trail of tears along the way. If John Cena can have that affect on people, so can you. The question is, are you willing to pay the same price and push the next person forward?
Many want to be rich, successful and remembered forever. Few are willing to relentlessly work at it and do what’s best for the brand even when it benefits someone else.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
