By David Rogerson

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympic flame has been doused, and now Los Angeles is on the planning horizon for 2028. Our Olympic competitors are back on home soil. Our awareness of every facet of sport from breakdancing to swimming and women’s boxing has been heightened.

And the winner was?

Well, the USA had the most number of medals awarded during the two weeks of competition. Australia performed at our best medal gains ever coming in 4th, and hosting nation France a very respectable 5th. Looking back over recent summer Olympic Games, countries who have hosted the world’s greatest sporting event have experienced a perhaps not surprising phenomenon. Almost without exception host countries attain the highest ever medal count in the history of their participation in the modern Olympic Games. Who knew that France had an Olympic gold record-breaking swimmer in Leon Marchand? Or that Tahiti competition could produce a stunning pic from the men’s surfing tournament that would go viral on social media.

Home crowd advantage is clearly something to be reckoned with, as I’m sure most members of the USA team are hoping for in 2028.

Competitors in other sports will also tell you the advantage of the home crowd and ground. Nothing beats that advantage with their supporters cheering them on and encouraging them to squeeze that extra ounce of performance to attain the ultimate goal of beating their opposition. Just ask any football team whether they’d prefer to play a final on their home ground or on the opposition’s?

It made me think – if, as PDs, station managers, producers, owners and executives, we took a similar “home crowd” stance by cheering on and encouraging those around us for their achievements, imagine how powerful that positive re-enforcement would be on the workplace environment?

I’m thinking here of more than just having a workday off for your birthday.

Most people just want to be appreciated.

If you’re a PD, that’s something to seriously think about as you set the tone for maximum productivity. On air personalities tend to be driven by the need for positive feedback. It’s what gives them that extra lift to go in a four walled, glassed studio every day and entertain in what must be one of the most unnatural environments for any entertainer – performing and providing a show to an audience you cannot see, let alone hear responding in real time!

For many, getting any feedback on a daily basis from their PD is as much a challenge as turning up each day and making today’s show better than the day before, and even better than the one before that.

Show your on-air personalities as well as others on the product team a little respect and gratitude, and watch your productivity and creativity soar to new heights!

This positive encouragement is one of the core basics of being a Program Director in 2024, and beyond. It still remains one of the key attributes PD’s should exhibit as part of their leadership strength. Notice I mention leadership here and not management.

Leadership PDs are “in charge” people. As leaders, you can use your sources of power in sensitive but effective ways. When you assume your role as leader who can motivate. You have three sources of power to tap, just like a leading Olympic coach or captain:

•  Firstly, you have “knowledge” because of what you know about the department you lead. When you share your experience with those who work with you, you make the best use of your “knowledge” power
• Second, you gain power from the role you occupy. Being the Program Director gives you the authority which you must use gently and wisely.
• Third, you have “personality power.” You can persuade or motivate others through your positive attitude, friendly manner, patience and other personal characteristics.

Although you must be sensitive in the way you use your power (don’t let your position go to your head), properly used, the three sources of power can help you become the type of Program Director you want to be.

It is important that “new” and even existing Program Directors learn to communicate a “take charge” and motivating image. She or he must let everyone know (co-workers and your superiors included) that things are under control, that decisions are being made and that the role of Program Director is a comfortable one for you. All of this must be accomplished without giving the impression that your desire to motivate them is just paying lip service to something you think you should do.

Why is a stronger leader image necessary?

Among other reasons, your on air people want you to be a leader. They will produce more if they know that they are part of a cohesive group with established standards and a set of goals to achieve. In contrast, a weak Program Director will cause the on-air staff and others who work with you to be confused and unproductive.

Use the station’s internal home crowd advantage to achieve the same result that Olympic competitors do. Enable your on air and product team to draw on the positive feedback from you and those inside the station. Celebrate your successes. After all, it’s one of the many great advantages of becoming a Program Director in the first place.

About the Author

With a background covering over 40 years in Media and Communications, David Rogerson is experienced in nearly every facet of the radio and media communications industries from Group Content Director, to National Marketing Manager and Company Director. He is currently a lecturer and mentor at the Australian Institute of Music in the Masters and Bachelor degrees.

In 1997 he founded media and communications consulting company “Strategic Media Solutions”. David’s professional consulting career has seen him sought-after for his insights and client solutions in more than 15 countries around the world.

As a published author of media related books and entertainment journal articles David has personally mentored a wide range of media company directors, industry managers and entertainment executives. In the music field David’s experience covers marketing and digital content development for a range of artists including INXS and is part of the judging panel for the Australian Songwriters Association and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.