Most broadcasters believe an ensemble show should consist of highly talented individuals with unique skills. And that’s true. When casting, be sure to assign clear roles and establish the most important ingredient: A For The Show attitude.
It means each personality understands three things:
- The purpose of the show in relation to the station and audience.
- How each personality fits into the team. In other words, the role they play.
- Personal success is possible only if the team succeeds.
The ideal is to have a team of highly talented personalities working together. That’s the secret behind the Golden State Warriors’ amazing success in the NBA since 2015. Coach Steve Kerr turned a team of superstars into team players working together.
The key is to truly be a cohesive unit. I’d rather have a show with good personalities working together than super-talented people working independently.
Warning Signs
Here are common indications a winning attitude is missing:
Promoting themselves ahead of the show. Personalities that promote personal appearances, their own social media, or side hustles ahead of the show or station’s assets are a clear indication of misplaced priorities.
Competing for microphone time. Personalities that dominate air time or aggressively insert themselves into conversations are like basketball players who shoot the ball each time they get it and never pass. That’s a me-first, not team-first attitude.
It sounds like everyone is performing a different show at the same time. Some personalities are highly engaged when they are the center of attention but go silent when a segment revolves around someone else. It’s the audio version of pouting. This has a dramatic impact on the sound of the show and internal chemistry.
How To Develop A For The Show Attitude
The best time to establish a team-first attitude is before it ever goes on air. But it is possible to fix a show that doesn’t work together well.
Here’s how to do it:
Casting Roles: Make sure each personality has a clear role. A football team has one quarterback. Having two on the field at the same time is a recipe for disaster. Identify the one person that will be the host and make it clear to all team members.
Expectations: Every member must know what is expected of them and how they contribute to the team’s success. Explain the role clearly, then coach them to succeed in that role. There may be some difficult meetings at first, but it will lead to productive, positive relationships.
Communicate: Healthy shows have disagreements because they care about the show. When that happens, focus on the only judge that really matters: the audience. Winning shows will have regular dust-ups, but avoid major problems by focusing on team goals.
Conclusion
Most managers believe chemistry is important. And it is. That’s the key ingredient that turned this show from average to a top-of-the-market performer.
But great chemistry is more than just being able to get along. It’s about coming together so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. And that doesn’t happen by accident. Leading a dynamic show starts with a great attitude. If the show doesn’t win, none of the individuals will succeed.
