Over 20 of those years have been working in a management role of some type. I never had aspirations of working in management at the beginning of my career. The first radio Program Director job I ever applied for in 1992 -- I got the job. There have been a few short periods where I have not been in a management role of some type, but I seem to land back into another one pretty quickly.
I made the transition to television in 2012 and it only took four months to land my current position as Executive Producer. It's been the toughest job I've ever had, and I'm still at it three years later.
I don't offer advice to anyone very often -- mostly because I'm never asked. But, since this is my blog, I'll throw a few things out there that may (or may not) be helpful to you.
Show up and be reliable. It has amazed me over the years how easy that is to do and how difficult it is for an awful lot of people to execute. I've worked through minor ailments (colds, headaches), bad weather, car problems, exhaustion, frustration, break ups, make ups, hangovers, you name it. If you suck at your job but you show up every day, you'll last at any job much longer than if you're a flake. And, show up on time.
Finish your work. I've worked weekends, holidays, late nights, to finish the stuff I'm responsible for. On top of that, I've had to finish other people's stuff hundreds of times over the years because they were hungry or tired or didn't want to. It's given me the reputation for being a very hard worker, and that has helped to keep me employed.
Challenge yourself. The only way you grow as a person is to do things that are uncomfortable. Sometimes you will fail, sometimes you will have success. But, you won't do bigger and better things without the occasional leap of faith and heading into the unknown. I had no idea when I started my career that it would become a career. My thought process was that maybe I had a shot at making something of it if I worked harder than most people. It worked out alright.
The hundreds of co-workers I've had over the years have taught me a lot about how the business works and about myself. I wouldn't be who I am today without the opportunities I've had to work with some amazing people.
Speaking of amazing people, I shot a photo today from the back of the studio. It was a moment in time to capture a glimpse of the handful of the fabulous folks that I work with each day.
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| The Morning Blend on January 27, 2015 as seen from the back of the studio while the show was on live. |