Be Prepared

The Boy Scouts are right. And, to prove it, Scott Shannon has built his legendary success as a programmer and personality around three simple words: "Preparation, Concentration and Moderation." He famously even has posted them next to the control room clock in studios from Tampa, to Los Angeles, to New York.

"Prep" is not only a great motto, coined by British Army Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell, it's also a crucial tip to anyone who talks on the radio, especially morning people.

Sometimes a great bit will come to mind in the middle of the morning show. Ask yourself if you are really prepared to deliver it now, or better off to think it through after you are off the air.

It is important to have your game plan in hand each day when you walk into the studio and stick to it as closely as possible.

Have you ever thought of a great bit while you were on the air, rushed it on right away and thought of better ways you could have used it later on?

Few topics are so timely you cannot allow yourself the time to prepare them for the next day, week, or next opportune moment. As a matter of fact, one great source of content for tomorrow's show is simply making a note of the "clever asides" that occur to members of the team in the midst of THIS morning's show.

Rather than just DOING the fun stuff as it comes to mind in mid-set and being guilty of doing several different streams of consciousness, SAVE those thoughts, refine them and USE them once they are fully developed!