1 888 680 7234, Email thecoach@radiocoach.biz, Radio Talent Coach Sam Weaver is an air talent coaching authority in terrestrial radio, online radio, and podcasting.  Sam makes his services affordable for veteran announcers and broadcast beginners.

During these hectic times in all things radio, the most obviously overlooked area is communication. With station clusters downsizing, ongoing rumors of change, and salary reductions, employees need more personal attention than ever. It takes little effort to briefly interact with co-workers or those who report directly to you.

Getting to know your co-workers
One of the most important things in the office place is to understand what the other departments do; a casual lunch can accomplish the task to find out. This is best done one-on-one and the agenda is to gain trust and learn the duties of the other person.

While lunching, do not gossip. Instead, stick to business or personal information you care to share. If the other person attempts to gossip, listen, but do not offer any opinion or comment. Steer the conversation back to its original purpose. The intent of these lunches is to humanize yourself and learn the responsibilities of others. Ask questions and listen. Don’t give advice, unless asked for. Remember, no one likes to be told they are doing something wrong or that you did it better at your last station. Grabbing a bite with each of the department heads and office workers may take a while, but it will pay off in the long run. You will become a better manager because of it.

Walk the hallways
Another approach is to listen to what everyone has to say around the office. Play it smart and never criticize co-workers or company policies with fellow employees. Verbal communication is the key; although texting, Facebook and e-mails can be valuable tools, a face can indicate the intentions behind the words.

Program Directors and Operations Managers need to be aware of the pulse of a station or cluster of stations. It is an implied duty of the job, but specifics of how to do this are not always taught. The trick is to do it in a timely fashion without letting it interfere with your daily duties. Walking the hallways will keep you on top of things, but get as much work done as possible before doing so. During the daily stroll, keep conversations to a minimum so as not to disrupt the work of others. I am not saying not to talk, but avoid superfluous chit chat. It is amazing what the staff will tell you if seek their input rather than wait for them to come to your office. This knowledge can better help you prevent issues instead of always reacting to them. It’s the little things: the more one knows, the easier it is to lead.

Be organized
Make a to-do list or utilize the calendar function on your phone or e-mail program. In either case, get a handle on everything before walking the hallways in search of information. Casually check in briefly with each department and get a sense of the employees’ day. These snapshots can shed light on possible pitfalls: who’s sick, which salesperson never meets deadlines, why the midday personality is tired, and many little things requiring attention.

During business hours, encourage co-workers to place memos or proposals in a slot outside your door; they could also e-mail or text. If such a slot does not exist, have engineering construct something. The main advantage of a slot is immediacy; you might see and read it before opening your e-mail. After business hours, instruct employees to slide information underneath your locked door. Keep the slot emptied for security reasons and so employees can see their communications have not been ignored. Inform your staff that the purpose of the mail slot is to provide constructive information, not gossip or complaints. Make it clear that you will follow up on all written communications.

Acknowledge inter-office e-mails, texts, and door slot messages with a thank you or some sort of response indicating awareness. Have a system for returning phone calls and prioritizing daily chores. Select a portion of the day to keep your door open and let your staff know. If it’s known when you are available, employees can better schedule their time to potentially gain access to you.