Attitude is everything. It often determines who succeeds and who doesn’t. I’ve seen very talented people fall short of expectations because their attitude worked against them.
I’ve also seen supposedly less talented people shine because their attitude carried them to the top.
What’s the attitude like in your newsroom?
- Spirited or apathetic?
- Aggressive or passive?
- Cooperative or selfish?
- Driven or satisfied?
- Teachable or close-minded?
- Excited or complacent?
- Winner or loser?
Positive attitude breeds a feeling of confidence. That confidence creates an expectation in your newsroom that your station is the one viewers should watch. That expectation leads to results – the kind you want.
The best display of attitude and its accompanying success that I was priviliged to see and be part of occurred one winter at Turner Network Television (TNT).
TNT had so far enjoyed tremendous success since its debut as a predominantly classic movie service. Ratings were excellent and the buzz about TNT was outstanding.
At the time nearly every movie TNT ran came from the MGM library that had birthed the network. A decision was made to air the film It’s A Wonderful Life.
Back then the movie was a public domain title which meant that any station could air it whenever it pleased. And they did. The month of December saw countless airings of It’s A Wonderful Life on stations around the country.
So here was TNT deciding to air a movie that already had tremendous exposure. By no means was it exclusive to TNT.
What was the attitude of the programming and marketing staff at TNT? They expected to “own” this movie in the minds of viewers. They were confident that if people were going to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, they would choose to watch it on TNT.
They believed that viewers expected TNT to treat It’s A Wonderful Life in a special manner unlike the others. That the movie belonged on TNT despite its history of being widely available elsewhere.
Guess what? The TNT crew was proved right. It’s A Wonderful Life did great numbers for the network. The promotion campaign and on-air packaging no doubt played a part.
But the attitude of the TNT crew played the biggest part. They made good on their expectation. Their confidence elevated the quality of their work and viewers responded.
How’s the attitude in your newsroom? Does winning create a good attitude or does a good attitude create a winner?
You know the answer.
All the change and turmoil around us can make some people feel uncomfortable and powerless. Others relish the upheaval and make it work to their advantage. You either welcome change or run from it.
Which type of person are you?
Change challenges you to get out of your comfort zone. Local television news was a lot more comfortable before cable and the internet came along.
That’s why people dislike change and its expectation that you respond. Change has no respect or tolerance for your comfort zones. Expect them to be reshaped, recreated, or destroyed. You can take part in the exercise willingly or balk at getting thrown into the maelstrom.
Doesn’t matter.
Change, whether it be societal, financial, and / or personal usually gets its way.
People who embrace change recognize the opportunities it provides. The potential gains are often distant at first. You must slog through disappointments or setbacks along the way. The rewards come after you pay your dues – after your commitment and persistence plow through the obstacles.
Every great invention, movement, and discovery occurred because someone got out of their comfort zone. Martin Luther King, Christopher Columbus, Albert Einstein, Galileo, and countless others changed the world by stepping outside their comfort zones.
Step outside yours.
That’s where professional and personal growth happens.
For reporters, take your best five packages and analyze how to do them better. It’s easy to redo the ones that didn’t work. Challenge yourself to improve the ones that got you the accolades. It can be done. Every report following will be that much better.
For news directors, be a true change agent. You’re not expected to blow things up for the sake of it. But, keep your finger on the pulse of a newsroom to prevent complacency from setting in. Examine work flows that have existed over time because they’re expedient. Reward innovative thinking. Understand that the internet compels you to constantly upgrade your news effort.
For station management, recognize and accept that the onslaught of other information and entertainment options requires bold new thinking on the part of everyone at the station. There’s little to gain in defending the status quo.
This myriad of options requires that you convince the audience of your merits as opposed to the days when limited choices put you in a stronger position. Viewers now hold the upper hand, energized by the changing media landscape.
Twitter, Facebook, Hulu, YouTube, and others have redefined how news and information is shared. You must adapt your business model to this landscape rather than expecting those outlets to conform to yours.
It will only happen outside your comfort zone.
