There’s No OY In TEAM

To have worked in legacy media during this century has likely meant a certain level of adversity, angst, and even some acrimony. These aren’t popular A-words, but they are emblematic of what “line workers” in TV, print, and of course, radio, have likely endured in recent years.

Public radio employees from NPR producers to small market anchors woke up to the news this morning their funding via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been officially defunded by Congress—or “clawed back”—because the $1 billion committed to public media falls under the heading of “funds saved” in the ongoing DOGE lottery.

No matter how you personally feel about whether this unprecedented budgeting action is a travesty or a long time coming, think about the rank-and-file pros working in public media operations across the U.S. Today, they are watching their jobs, and in some cases, their careers become even more insecure.

I will have more to say about this rescission bill and its impact on radio broadcasting when the dust settles a bit. But no matter how things sort out, think about those whose radio futures may now end up on a chopping block, deleted by a CFO or comptroller on a spreadsheet.

And know this: the pain and angst are real throughout the org chart. While some may have better “exit packages” or “buyout offers” than others, the net net is that it’s gotten exponentially tougher out there. Job insecurity has always been part and parcel of most radio careers, but today’s cloud of concern is thicker, darker, and more ominous.

And it transcends all radio operations. Between RIFs, C-suite turnover, station sales, bankruptcy rumors and realities, budget cutbacks, and other disappointments, working in this business requires even thicker skin, greater resilience, and a better funded emergency fund. Add in looming tariffs that generate even more uncertainty, and you’re probably working with, on, or overseeing a team that may be in a state of crisis.

If you’re a manager in this unsettled environment, what moves do you have available at this point? Are there any plays you can run to alleviate some of the stress that keeps your team operating at the highest level possible during these existentially difficult times?

Leave it to the mavens at the Harvard Business Review, specifically authors Alyson Meister and Ina Toegel. While some of their advice is designed for more sophisticated and complex businesses than say, the average radio cluster and company, their “6 Steps to Reset a Demotivated Team” contains some ideas worthy of your consideration.

Their first course of action is to Reassess: Diagnose before you act. In other words, don’t start addressing things that may not be broken, and conversely, don’t avoid the 800-pound gorilla in the room if there is one. A level of transparency is needed in these situations or else you not only won’t confront the real problems, but you might generate more distrust.

Another suggests you Reenvision or in other words, determine What’s our job to be done? By borrowing a page from the old Clay Christensen handbook, you might make progress by redefining the goal—that is, getting everyone on the same page or at least the same playbook. The absence of company or even station meetings can leave teams adrift, unsure of their main missions, especially in light of this turmoil.

The HBR authors also suggest you address the mission with an eye—or at least a side glance—on the future, to the degree you can address it. It is natural to want to know where it’s all heading, even during times of unpredictability and uncertainty.

Readdressing roles and responsibilities is another technique that can settle a team, especially as most of the remaining teammates are likely tasked with handling more roles—or “hats.” Reiterating responsibilities can help iron out the obvious disagreements that may well up during stressful days.

Reconsider team norms and expectations. In some organizations, entire days can be sucked up by a proliferation of meetings, making it difficult to accomplish just about anything constructive. Reviewing the purpose of meetings, looking for ways to streamline them with tools like Slack channels or even email might eliminate redundant get-togethers. Additionally, assess who is invited to meetings, and the possibility of streamlining the number of attendees can facilitate getting more accomplished.

And don’t forget about Redefining meeting structure. My friend and former client, John Fullam (pictured), would walk into meetings, announce we had 35 minutes for our meeting and three things to accomplish (which he’d write down). If the team started wandering or drifting, he’d remind us of how many minutes remained in the meeting and what we had not yet addressed. It always worked.

Then there’s Re-energize: Build on successes is important, especially after you’ve established new practices. Celebrate new wins—even modest ones as a sign of progress. It is analogous to a basketball player whose 3-point shooting accuracy has disappeared. Sometimes making a simple layup or even a free throw can re-instill confidence that leads to bigger wins.

One of my concepts is to Repopulate teams. That is, consider switching out a team member (or two) with someone on a different team in order to instill fresh ideas and new thinking.

And finally, Resocialize. It’s my observation that many teams simply meet at the station (or virtually) with little-to-no personal, social contact—a dinner, drinks, bowling, etc. This is an area where the truly fun aspects of the radio business has simple been overshadowed by the intense day-to-day challenges of “making goal.” Hanging out with other team members can have the obvious effect of accentuating and building camaraderie, an important ingredient shared by successful teams.

The roiling environment in radio continues to make constructive time-spent on accomplishing tasks and achieving goals more arduous, all the more reason why spending “team time” is so smart.

Economist Robert Shiller perhaps said it best:

“Tough times don’t last. Tough teams do.”