20 May Leadership Training

Dear Christian Radio,

Leadership training.  We usually expect it once a year at some great conference that we go to and then we pack it away for another year.  But what if we could do better?

What are we doing the other 364 days of the year to train our teams with the skills needed to succeed?

At Positive Alternative Radio we’ve developed something called “PAR U” that is designed to teach leadership skills through various classes offered throughout the week.  The leadership team is going through one class with the Vice President of our company.  Other leaders are going through a workbook with a successful leadership coach.  The rest of the team members are going through classes that the Dean of PAR U is teaching weekly.

So , why all this emphasis on leading you ask?   John Maxwell reminds us that the ability to lead is really a collection of skills, nearly all of which can be learned and improved. If you have a good leadership team, why not make them great?  Why not give them skills to handle tough situations before they get there?  Share your knowledge that you’ve obtained over the years and develop a new group of leaders for your station, group and for radio in the future.

Get your leaders ready now before they are called up to the big leagues.  It happens all too suddenly most of the time.  We get the call, go to the GM’s office and we’ve got the big promotion; now the question is “how do we lead”?  If you’ve been going through leadership materials with your team, they already have an idea of what they are getting in to and hopefully an idea of where to start.  Then you and your team won’t have to start from scratch. 

This is also a great way to discover some potential talent on your team.  Somewhere in your staff you may have the future leader you’ve been looking for.  They themselves may not even know of their potential, but with some training and leading, you can give them leadership skills that can come into play in the future.  This is their chance to shine and show you that they get it when it comes to leadership.

If you’ve been in a leadership position, this is a great way to pass on what you’ve learned over the years to a new generation.  I am teaching some young people right now who know more at 26 than I ever did at that point.  I’ve told them, “If I knew at age 26 what I know now, I could’ve changed the world.”  This next generation has so much potential and you have the ability to train them up in a way to where they really will change the world.

I also find from leading our PAR U that I tend to learn so much from the preparation of the class.  You’ll be amazed at how much you grow by helping others grow.

Dear Christian Radio,

1. Find your future leaders now.
2. Prepare them before they ever take a leadership role.
3. Share the benefit of your years of experience.

Mike Perry

General Manager, WCQR

Dean of PAR U