Our series continues today with Linda Byrd, President, North Florida Region, for iHeartMedia. She oversees Florida stations in Orlando, Melbourne, Tampa, Sarasota, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Panama City, as well as one in Brunswick, GA, and a state network for iHeartMedia. She’s on Radio Ink‘s 2018 Most Influential Women in Radio list and brings more than 40 years’ experience in the business to the table.
Radio Ink: How do you keep high-performers happy?
Byrd: Listen to them, make them part of the organization even if they are not managers — they have to have a say in how the department is run. If you don’t do that, they become disengaged and they don’t feel empowered. In most of our markets we have an AE council that is made up typically of three to 10 Senior Account Managers in the market. We go to them when rolling out a new initiative or making a change that impacts them, or if we need a pulse of what’s going on. We talk with them so they feel like they have a hand in decisions. If you help high-performers to succeed, if they are doing well, they very rarely leave.
Radio Ink: Is it different managing a high-performer?
Byrd: Every AE needs to be managed differently based on their personalities, the type of incentives that drive them, and their hot buttons. One size does not fit all, so there is not a set way to manage all high-performers. As a rule, I do think we need to recognize that our high-performers don’t need as much hand-holding and as much day-to-day management as our newer or mid-level reps.
Radio Ink: Can ego be a problem with high-performers?
Byrd: It’s a problem with all performers and managers. Most people that are high-performers and competitors are very confident — it’s what makes them very good at what they do. There’s a difference between ego and arrogance. People that are arrogant are difficult to manage because they tend to think they know more than you know and the way that they are doing it is the best way no matter what you show them.
Radio Ink: Are incentives important to your staff?
Byrd: Both cash and non-cash incentives are important. Every AE reacts differently to different rewards. Some really only care about the cash, the trinkets, and the trips; but for many the recognition is equally important. I think you need a combination of both. It can’t just be once a year, it needs to be an ongoing part of your culture.
Radio Ink: What traits are you looking for when trying to find your next high-performer?
Byrd: I look for experienced people with a proven track record and longevity with positions. I like people that can talk about their prior business and have the numbers make sense. Surprisingly, so many can’t remember or articulate the metrics that we look at. I’m impressed with people who kind of know their numbers and can talk about them. We have had great success hiring people out of digital media over the last few years. With so much focus now on the digital side of our business that’s a really good thing because they bring a new skill set and perspective to our sales team.
Radio Ink: How long do you give a salesperson before parting ways?
Byrd: It’s not a finite time. It depends on if they’re new to the business or maybe someone with experience. Someone new to the business might have a longer runway than someone highly experienced coming in. We look at more than just what you billed this month. We look at other metrics: activity on the accounts, how they’re moving people through the price line, are they making calls, are they able to close an account, and how are they handling internal aspects of the job. Typically, we know when it’s apparent that we, on our part, have done everything we can to help this person, and there is really no reason for them to not be performing at a higher level.
Contact Linda Byrd: 407.963.9850 or email: [email protected]
