The Maori All Blacks Management Team lists no less than ten coaches. Like most sports, the casual fan sometimes fails to recognize how many coaches are involved behind the scenes compared to the number of players on the pitch. If you run a radio show, you’re actually in a similar position. You are the head coach of your program. So what can we learn from a typical rugby team?

  1. Delegate responsibility. You’re the manager and you have experience. You probably have a ton of wisdom and knowledge to pass down too. Sit on it. Trust the people you’ve hired. There are areas of radio that they know better than you do and it serves your program better if you trust them at their expertise. And, if you’re in a situation where you know the most about every topic, it’s time to really evaluate your staff.
  2. Promote independence. Don’t overmanage. It may be tempting to try and run every aspect of your program, but by doing so, you’ll wear yourself thin and also run off the same experts that you have chosen to hire. The Maori All Blacks have someone specifically for strength and conditioning, someone specifically to coach the forwards, someone to review film. They all have a specific role and the head coach gives them big picture instructions without overmanaging the situation.
  3. Don’t be afraid to lose someone. This one is counterintuitive. But it speaks volume of your program when other stations or industries poach your staff. It means you’ve trained them well enough that they’re moving onto bigger roles. It reflects well on you and the repuataion of your company. So don’t fret it. In fact, embrace it. You’ll hire better people in the longrun due to reputation alone.
  4. Know the situation. Rugby (and other sport) coaches have commented that it’s easier to be harder on a team after a win and it’s important not to break the spirit of a team after a heartbreaking loss. The same applies to you. If you want to lecture and complain about something, it’s easier to take (and people are more likely to listen) after something positive has happened.

Sure, you’re not a sports team. But running a rugby team and any company have similar elements. By remembering this analogy, here’s hoping you manage your team to many victories on the pitch. Or, in your case, on the airwaves!

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