“No” Is a Complete Sentence

Several years ago, when Hubbard wanted to transition mornings on the iconic The Drive in Chicago, they asked me to help identify and launch a show.  It was a bit of a needle-thread because the daypart had been driven almost solely on music images.  But Hubbard knows how to build media brands, so they were all in on being strategic.

We had our sights set on Sherman and Tingle.  They’d done some time on Q101 in the market and had chemistry.  Steve Tingle and I had worked together before, so we knew each other.  In my conversations with Brian Sherman, I discovered something that made his hire an automatic yes.  In between radio gigs, he worked for his home city picking up trash in the morning.  That real life experience made him an interesting person to me.

The reason Brian interested me wasn’t because he was collecting trash.  It was because he had a life.  He had experiences outside of radio and interacted with people consultants and programmers never meet.  He had stories, perspective, and empathy.  Ditto Steve Tingle who survived a brain tumor.

I read a lot of radio advice where talent are implored to do even more to protect their jobs.  I understand why.  But at some point, we must ask what that “more” is costing us.  Where will the balance come from to keep our talent both interesting and protect their mental health.

Radio says to do more.  But more isn’t always better to create interesting people who have interesting lives.  Mental health matters, relationships matter, and creativity needs replenishment.

Which brings me to maybe the two most important words you’ll ever learn in a business that constantly asks for more:  say no.  And make it a complete sentence.

That’s no to another volunteer committee.  No to checking email at 11pm.  No to another appearance request.  No to another podcast.  No to another social media post.  And no to sacrificing your kid’s soccer game for a meeting that could have been an email.  Especially if it creates space for you to have interests outside of radio.

Saying no is hard for many of us in radio – an industry that wants us to do more.  Why?  Because we’re pleasers.  It’s almost impossible for me to say no to anyone in the industry who needs something.  When we rarely say no, our entire worlds – professional and personal – get out of whack.  Say no too much and that will certainly impact you.  But having your worlds in alignment makes for happy, productive people.

In my previous blog, My Love to Valentine, I shared the phrase “emotional hygiene”.  Where does yours come from?  What big or small things do you have in life that give you that balance, make you a more interesting person to be around, and create a more “whole you”?

Those who know me are aware that I officiate high school basketball in my hometown.  Officiating gives me a mission that has nothing to do with ratings, social media metrics, or coming up with another idea.  It gives me balance.

I am in leadership and working on creating a stronger organization and financial future for officials who come after me.  It’s quite rewarding.  That’s my jam.  What are yours?  And what should you say no to at work to create that space to find or do them for yourself?  We must.

How we do that is important.  It’s not no “because I’m not getting paid to do that.”  Or no “because it’s not in my job description.”  It’s no because I need space to be a real person in life – to find things outside of this industry that fill my cup with pleasure and happiness.

“No” is a complete sentence.  When we get there, we’ll be healthier mentally, preserve our relationships outside of radio, continue to have a better, more satisfying life, and become better talent.

Radio needs talented people.  But we only get that from mentally healthy people.  The goal isn’t to become less committed to radio.  The goal is to become more committed by having a life worth talking about on the air and the emotional hygiene that makes it worth living.

And to get there, it might just take an occasional no.