What’s the best thing you’ve done on the air recently?

It’s a question I often ask air talent I work with, and one that always results in a long pause.

First, it makes people think about what they’ve done on the air recently (few do), and second, it makes them evaluate those things in the context of everything else they’ve done (most never do).

I’m privileged to work with some of the best morning teams in the format; Kevin and Taylor, Scott and Sam, Ellis and Tyler, and Steve and Amy.  Each has worked together for at least ten years, some twenty, and at multiple radio stations together.

I’ve told them that their greatest strength is their greatest weakness.  Their strength is that they are well-schooled in their individual roles, they know each other’s hot buttons, and they know what elements tend to do well.  Their weakness?  It’s real easy to do last week’s show, last month’s show, last year’s show.

“People always say their newest album is the best they’ve ever made.  That should be the case.  You should get better at this.”

What are you doing on the air now that you didn’t do last month?  Last year?  Are you constantly reinventing yourself, or are you content to simply trot out the same old bits that you can do without even thinking?

Without even thinking.  Ah, yes!  THERE’S the problem.

“If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post.  If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution.  Briefly, if you want the old white post you must have a new white post.”