Loyd Ford “Jump-Starting Encouragement”
What happens when you flip on a Christian music station? Is it obvious that the people working there are emotionally invested, positive and encouraging? Do you feel an energy of hope and happiness? Is grace present? You might think that these things are obvious and should be easily heard and felt on Christian stations before any other station in your market, but we shouldn’t only assume “we’ve got this.”
Times Are Changing Again
It’s possible that Christian radio where you live has never broadcast to a listening audience in such significant need of encouragement before. After all, this is the 21st Century and it isn’t for the faint of heart.
These opportunities for Christian radio go way beyond secular radio. Challenges create more potential for connection, relatability and transformation.
The Problem
Humans are frail. Sure, we don’t think of ourselves that way, but I guarantee most people think of the world as more static than it is. The truth is that life is not what you expect; it’s what happens. This is why changes in the White House, new tariffs, different policies can shock. It’s also why Christian radio personalities need to be a voice of hope and a space of grace. In other words, encouragement.
But it’s not just listeners that need encouragement.
Your Space Impacts Your Audience
Where does encouragement come from? Ultimately, I’d say it comes from God. Inside your radio station, it starts with your culture. What you believe and how you act. The energy in the building somehow finds a way over the air. How you create the place for listeners in your market of encouragement starts with how your team feels, their skill to relate to what the audience is going through and to live their own life of hope on the air. That includes the influence of every person working for you and with you.
- Encouragement comes from creating a safe space for employees to give feedback. If employees don’t feel that safety, they won’t sound safe on the air. They will sound like everyone else.
- It comes from the experiences your team has when they come to work, do their job and interact with management.
- Believe it or not, encouragement comes from accountability and alignment of purpose. People want to feel like what they are doing makes a difference.
- Encouragement comes directly from having leaders who look for things people are doing right instead of focusing on catching people doing something wrong. That just feels different.
- The way people feel is often the way they really sound on the air. Not to them; to the audience.
The Questions To Ask
How do your people feel?
How much do you focus on the experiences people are having in your building?
How important is the culture of your tribe at work?
How often do managers think about encouragement and the value of encouragement?
I will encourage you to spend more time preparing to elevate the culture and spirit of where you work. It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day.
Most people can do more than they think they can, but to get there encouragement must always be present. And encouragement doesn’t just show up everyday for work. You have to bring it.
Loyd Ford is chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). Today smaller teams must create more opportunity so local radio can thrive. Many are stuck in the wash of what’s happening to local media. RPC helps you develop unique and powerful local strategy along with encouraging and motivating your smaller team to punch above their weight class. Mr. Ford is the host of The Encouragers™ The Radio Rally™ podcast (Apple, Audible, Spotify). They help local radio find their momentum™.