A program director I work with constantly challenges his talent to grow. He patiently encourages them with positive feedback while gently applying pressure to improve. His message to the team is that we’re already good, but we need to go from good to great. This approach is highly effective for motivated talent and sets expectations of excellence. The key question is whether you will do what it takes to go from good to great.
Going From Good To Great
There was a time when air personalities could get by and even thrive by being consistently good. If you delivered a high-quality performance in every segment, maintained an upbeat, bright delivery, and promoted the station with enthusiasm, you could enjoy a nice career. For many stations, becoming well-known, good-sounding DJs was good enough. In some cases, it created stars.
But times have changed. Being “good” is no longer “good enough”. The audience has unlimited choices. Today, only great talent and great performances stand out.
Recently, I was shocked when I arrived at a station for a 10 a.m. meeting with the programming team. At 9:59, I entered the lobby at the same time as the midday personality. Her “show” started at 10. She’s good, but can you stroll in at showtime and be great? I met the morning show a moment later, leaving the building two minutes after their show ended.
Putting in more hours doesn’t make personalities great, but it’s hard to imagine how anyone could reach their potential without more time and effort. Going from being good to great takes dedication, hard work, and constant adaptation. It doesn’t happen by accident.
What It Takes
Dedication is crucial in the journey from good to great. If you’re not moving forward, you are falling behind. Never be satisfied with today’s performance. The show that was good enough today is not good enough tomorrow. What do you need to work on? Dedicate yourself to mastering the skills to help you reach the next level. It’s easy to identify talent that isn’t dedicated. They’re making excuses like, “You caught me in a bad segment,” or “We usually don’t do that. This was unusual.” Maybe. Bad segments happen, but does the listener care why that break was boring, or were you going through the motions with low-hanging fruit content? Instead of making excuses, how about dedicating some time to figuring out ways to prevent it from happening in the future?
Hard work is essential to achieving greatness. This means putting in the time and effort necessary to improve your skills and knowledge, even when difficult or uncomfortable. It may be possible to perform a good enough show with little prep. But you are not likely to do a great show without putting in the effort. Show prep is a grind. It’s hard to finish a show on Tuesday morning and realize you have to start over again in less than 24 hours. But that’s what it takes. Learn to love the grind the way Stephen Colbert learned to appreciate the process of creating his show as much as the actual performance.
Continuous improvement is a common trait of winners. Tom Brady was a great quarterback, but he played so many years by constantly adapting to a league that was getting younger, stronger, and faster. How have you grown with new information, skills, and expertise to stay relevant in a world with ever-changing and always-expanding choices for entertainment? Are you using tools like AI to stay competitive and relevant?
Getting help is not a weakness. Everyone needs a coach. Maybe you’re not getting it from your manager or program director. There are other sources of help. Always be open to positive and negative feedback and use it to make changes and adjustments.
Conclusion
There are many good personalities, but being good is not enough. “Good” is the price of admission. It’s expected. Just being good is not enough to be noticed. Rewards go to those who go from good to great. Excelling requires a combination of self-awareness, resilience, and humility. It also helps to surround yourself with people who support and inspire you. These can be mentors, role models, talent coaches, or colleagues who share your passion and drive.
If you’re satisfied with being good, hang onto your gig as long as possible. I don’t want to scare you, but broadcasters are waking up and realizing the future is all about great personalities. They are looking for great talent—not good talent, but great talent. For those who have what it takes, there are endless opportunities.
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