Year End Checklist

Tis the season to review the passing year and reenergize for the new year. This checklist will help you come out of the gate firing on all cylinders in 2020.

HOST AND MANAGEMENT REVIEW

Meet with your cohosts and staff one-on-one. The priority for management and the show host is to ask questions and be active listeners to hear out any grievances.

Questions to consider include:

• How would you like to contribute more to the show?
• What are your personal show goals for the new year?
• Are you being coached/managed in the most effective way to perform at your best?
• What do you need from us to be a better performer?

Team Trust Building Session

This is the perfect time to conduct a team exercise with everyone connected to the show. The mission is to flush out any dysfunctions and to start the new year as a unified show. To get the most benefit from this exercise, stress the importance of everyone being totally honest.

First, each team player identifies the most important contributions the other teammates make to the show. Then they must point out one or two things the other players could improve on for the greater good of the show. Remind players to deliver improvement points in a non-personal, matter-of-fact way.

SHOW CHECKLIST

Roles: Review the on and off-air roles for each show member. Is mic time balanced? Are the off-air workloads evenly distributed? Are everyone’s skills and talents being maximized?

Planning: Can the group planning sessions be improved? Are the players communicating with one another throughout the day and evening to get the best content on the show?

Content: Conduct a review of your regular features and benchmarks. How can they be improved? Do some need to be rested temporarily or permanently? Brainstorm for new content ideas to be implemented in the new year.

• Does the show have enough humor and fun?
• Is the show generating content that is topical and relevant locally and globally to the target audience?
• Are teases being prepped to compel the audience to listen longer and come back to the show tomorrow?
• Is the show consistently interacting with listeners on the phone and texts?

Character development: Are the players sharing their life experiences that relate to listeners? Are they being vulnerable to give the show heart?

Imaging and branding: Does the imaging production during the show and in the other dayparts need freshening? Are highlight clips that capture priceless moments and character clips that feature the individual players being aired?

• Do the produced intros and outros need freshening?
• Is the show effectively using audio to support content?
• How does our social media engagement compare with our competitors?

It’s been fun working with you this year, and we are looking forward to more dynamic coaching sessions in 2020!

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash