Putting It In Perspective

As we pause this 4th of July holiday to reflect on our relatively short American history, I think it is also important to put our radio careers in perspective. Many of us in radio tend to put our personal lives on the back burner and put near full focus on our professional lives and relationships. When we do this, we miss out on many very valuable relationship skills that are learned within the family and friends environment. The idea that personal and professional personality traits are disconnected is simply untrue. Many times what works in solving a dilemma at home will also work in the office. So those of us who are completely and exclusively absorbed by either side of our lives are probably out of balance with the way we communicate with people.

If we think of the many great sacrifices that were made by thousands of people to assure the freedom and liberties we have in America, we have to be able to think of ways that we can sacrifice to perpetuate the relationships we have at work and at home. Imagine for a moment if all of us followed what is commonly called, "The Golden Rule:" Do onto others as you would have them do onto you. Not only would our work and home relationships change but our entire world would be transformed. But all of this would require sacrifice.

It would mean that we would be concerned about others and not just ourselves. It seems practically impossible in our industry to operate this way but it can be done. Those that follow this practice are by far the most fulfilled and satisfied people there are in this industry. Yes, there are those that take great joy in squashing others but it only lasts for a season and then they find themselves empty and alone, both professionally and personally.

Only a very small percentage of people in our country can do what you do. Never lose sight of this. You are in a very special profession that the average person is in awe of. This should motivate us to do the very best job we can and drive us to communicate in more productive ways with the people we work with.

A big part of the American success story has been the ability of key people to communicate a plan and follow through with it with great sacrifice. A great plan will almost always fail without the required sacrifice. If all who read this will follow this plan, we will change a big part of our country.