RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – One golden rule I have learned as a CEO and in coaching other global C-suite leaders is that it takes a great deal of work to make something excellent, particularly when it looks simple or easy from an outsider’s perspective. This lesson was reinforced recently when I was asked to be an on-air commentator on the PBS NC public affairs program Black Issues Forum.
I joined host Deborah Holt Noel (a staple of PBS programming for all you local viewers), along with guests Torri Staton, vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusivity at the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and Dee McDougal, global head of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Capco. Our topic was on point for today’s workplace and society: “Examining the Effectiveness of the DEI Movement.”
While it is always interesting and enlightening to be on television – particularly with such successful and accomplished fellow commentators – there is also a fear factor, given that you’re taping a show live and under extremely tight time constraints. That pressure can get even the most veteran speaker a little nervous. I have to admit, my nerves were getting the best of me.
Donald Thompson
VALUE OF A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM
While I sat waiting for the show to begin, I calmed myself by thinking through my day to that point. I had been fairly nervous, given that I didn’t fully know what to expect.
What immediately stood out was the professionalism of the PBS NC team, which began as soon as I arrived at the studio. The security team let me in, addressing me by name and relaying that they had been expecting me. Their warmth made me instantly less stressed.
Next, a producer took over, handing me a script for the telecast. They had typed up the questions and answers we had discussed in the pre-recording interview. So, now I not only knew that I was in the proper place, but the day’s biggest concern – am I prepared for a variety of questions and topics – was taken care of.
As I looked through the Q&A, the producer got me to the right chair and began going through the run-up to showtime. There were several critical points we went through, like whether my earpiece fit and worked properly. Another staff member made sure I had water, while we talked about the timing of responses and how to best convey my answers to Deborah’s queries.
While I had a moment to focus on my well-being and calm my nerves, I looked around and the entire soundstage filled with action and energy – it seemed like a well-choreographed play or ballet all leading up to the moment the cameras went live.
I saw Deborah interacting with her staff, which was a lightbulb moment. They were going through various soundchecks, and I saw her get some feedback about a line of dialogue that needed to be changed. She responded to the staffer talking in her ear with “that makes sense” and “thank you very much.” Despite the tight deadline and impending countdown to going live, Deborah took the advice of her producer, because she trusted that her teammate had the best interests of the show in the forefront.
“Let’s keep it moving,” Deborah said. “Let’s do it again.” Together, she and the production team realized that they wanted to give something great to their PBS NC audience. Everyone knew and accepted their role, then went out and worked in unison toward that objective.
SIMPLICITY OF FOCUS
As a weekly show, Black Issues Forum has a constantly evolving group of guests, many now calling in remote, while some are going back into the studio. A major success factor is ensuring that on-air commentators feel welcome and ready to give their best – a full part of the team for that week.
As I sat and watched the team work, I thought: “This seems simple for them, because it’s their business, but it is powerful to me, because their simplicity of focus enables everyone to do their individual tasks and then pull it all together.” Their teamwork was stellar, again bringing organized chaos into focus, like a stage production.
When I equate Deborah and her team’s efficiency with what I see in the business workplace, I realize that sometimes as leaders – myself included – we give people too many different things to focus on and expect them to be amazing at each task. As a result, people begin to focus on the next project or idea, versus living in the moment of the current task that needs to be achieved.
Earlier this year, I wrote about “focus” as a leadership superpower: “Decide where you are going, cut out the noise and concentrate on the goal. Every day, there will be a dozen new things distracting you from the path you have chosen. You have to reject them and ignore them. Do not let them steal your focus.”
My experience with the PBS team reinforced my belief in focus. What I saw from Deborah and the staff who produce Black Issues Forum was a level of professionalism that one would expect from PBS, one of the world’s most important news organizations and brands. However, at a more granular level, I also watched a team come together to achieve a high level of excellence.
It is really cool to be on TV – I would guess that almost everyone has thought about it at one time or another in their lives. What the PBS NC team showed me, though, was far beyond the fun of contributing to the show as a commentator. I learned a lot in terms of how teammates need to understand their roles and then trust in their colleagues as they pull it all together. This kind of seamless effort is essential, whether it’s live theater, a surgeon’s table, or a factory floor. At PBS NC, it started with the pre-interview and the security staff welcoming me to the studio, then carried on through the taping and after, as I watched the network’s social media team publicize the episode.
Everyone needs to know their job, do their job on time, and understand that they are on a team where they can count on one another to do what they’re supposed to do. The PBS team made it look simple, kind of like a NASCAR or Formula One pit crew changing a tire in a matter of seconds. As leaders, we know that building great teams is a driver of innovation, creativity and profit.
PBS NC’s vision is to “spark lifelong curiosity and wonder, empower communities and enrich the lives of all North Carolinians.” This mantra sounds a lot like the aspirations of great leaders and stellar companies.
About the Author
Donald Thompson is CEO and co-founder of The Diversity Movement, the creator of an employee-experience product suite that personalizes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) through data, technology, and expert-curated content. The microlearning platform, “Microvideos by The Diversity Movement,” was recently named one of Fast Company’s “2022 World Changing Ideas.” DEI Navigator is a “chief diversity officer in a box” subscription service that provides small- and mid-sized businesses with the tools, advising and content that leads to action and results. Donald is a thought leader on goal achievement, culture change and driving exponential growth. An entrepreneur, public speaker, author, podcaster, Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) and executive coach, Donald also serves as a board member for several organizations in marketing, healthcare, banking, technology and sports. His leadership memoir, Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success, is available wherever books are sold. Connect or follow him on Linkedin to learn more.
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