Monday 12 March 2012

If you can't stand the heat...

I realised something the other day, it's such a simple analogy but i think it helps when thinking about starting, keeping, progressing and enjoying a career in radio. Particularly commercial radio.

I believe that being in the commercial radio industry is much like being in the catering industry. Although this only really came to light last week i guess i've had the thought for some time.

I have always wanted to be a Programme Controller, it's what i've always been working towards and i still strive to become one now. There's no right or wrong way to being a Programme Controller, there's no basic step by step guide book to follow in order to make a radio station a success. Each and every Programme Controller i've worked for has done it differently. They've had their own style and their own personal tastes (whether it be with music, presenters, management style etc). It was reading Gordon Ramsay's Humble Pie when i found a method that i, still to this day, believe will get me to that dream job of being a Programme Controller. Gordon Ramsay worked for years in many different kitchens. He always started at the bottom and worked his way up in that kitchen learning all the different roles and skills required from the entire team. As soon as that kitchen offered him the Head Chef job he moved on and did exactly the same working his way up. You see, being a Chef is very personal too. Again, there is no right or wrong way of doing it, no set path to follow or simple step by step guide to learn. Gordon Ramsay wanted to learn what all the different chefs around the world knew and then steal the best ideas to become a super chef. Makes sense to me. So i decided i'd take a similar approach to my career. If i could sit and watch the Programme Controllers i work for, think about the decision they make and learn about why and how they made that particular decision i could too learn from them all and then steal all their best ideas -Whilst also learning from their not so great ideas too. So i guess that's where i started thinking about this analogy.

Last week however i recognised some more strands to this analogy that can help us get to our dream jobs. Think about the very best chefs in the world. The ones you see on TV -Jamie Oliver, Marco Pierre White, Antony Worrall....no, forget that last one. They all check their plates before the waiter/waitress takes them to the customer...They taste every sauce, the seasoning, checking the temperature and consistency. They're not happy unless every piece is perfect, it's just like the best i've had the opportunity to work for and observe. Before it goes to air, check it, think about it, get every bit of detail just right. Taste! Taste! Taste!



Another way i think this analogy helps is when you're in the kitchen/live studio and the talent are working their magic. The last thing you want to do is get in their way, distract them from their art or hamper the show. Otherwise tempers may fly.
I was once working on a breakfast show when the boss walked in trying to help the presenters with a live read sheet they needed. It was the morning of a very big promotion that had to go right on the air and it was more confusing to execute than the usual, hence why the boss was in at 6am and helping with scrips etc. He came in and looked through the presenters prep sheets and added the script to their pile. When the presenter had turned around and realised he had simply put the new script on top of his prepared paper and put the pile back down on the desk at a slight 10degree angle to how they were originally he went berserk. Throwing all the paper over the studio, pushing his chair across the room, shouting abuse and screaming 'I've had enough!'. Luckily i was able to calm him down before the song ended and to the listener all was ok. But i learned a vital lesson that day -Tread carefully around the talent in the studio. They are concentrating on getting every piece of detail just right and sometimes when the heat is up the pressure can be too much for some people.

Are there any more comparisons to make? Feel free to email me your thoughts at jay.dormer@heart.co.uk

Finally, i leave you with this funny video of a broadcaster that can definitely stand the heat...The show must go on!

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