An odd title here but one that needs to be explored. Both Kate Cocker and Dr Brené Brown believe in embracing vulnerability and showing true courage. Connecting with the listener by revealing sections of your personal life is a highly successful move. When the presenter is being true to the listener, the connectivity is palpable.
Over the last 15 years, Kate Cocker has coached and trained presenters, produced radio programmes (BBC and Commercial), written and made adverts & jingles, and ran a radio station in a competitive market. The one ethos that runs through every discipline is: connect by getting real.
Have presenters brainstorm regularly
In her current role as Content Controller of Manchester’s hit music station Key 103, Cocker uses the list technique for her team. She’s learned that it’s good to ask on-air personalities to do this exercise on a regular basis, because answers might change slightly over time. “It’s about getting under that layer.” She points out that writing things down is just a start, as another presenter once made a great list of 38 items. “I said to him: out of those 38 things, how much is going on air; how much do your listeners know? He went: two…”
Because when you physically move, your brain starts to build new habits. When you do something you’re not used to doing, you are in the act of building new habits and erasing existing ones.
As a producer, you are in constant search mode... what is it that will keep the listener engaged, what is it that will cause the listener to speak about your radio show? Frequently, it is the human aspect of the presenter. The presenter that presents his or her self as a real human being, who draws the listeners into his or her life's stories.
Forget about radio stereotypes
She feels that courage is basically “tell the truth about who you are with your whole heart” and thinks that vulnerability is connected to “uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure”. If these add up to authenticity, an authentic presenter would be “somebody willing to let go of who they thought they should be in order to be who they are.” In her opinion, “even within the reality of the format”, every single presenter can be himself.
I love Kate Cocker, watch her draw in this the audience in with her enthusiasm and no nonsense approach.
Dr Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past thirteen years studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. Brown is the author of three #1 New York Times Bestsellers: Rising Strong, Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection.
Courage
Brown's says "courage, the original definition of courage, when it first came into the English language -- it's from the Latin word "cor," meaning "heart" -- and the original definition was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart - the courage to be imperfect. The compassion to be kind to yourself first and then to others, we can't practice compassion with other people if we can't treat ourselves kindly. And have connection, be willing to let go of who you think you should be in order to be who they are, which you have to absolutely do that for connection.
Vulnerability
Embrace vulnerability. Believe that what makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful - vulnerability is necessary."
Brown's 2010 TEDx Houston talk, The Power of Vulnerability, is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world, with over 25 million views. Get a cup of tea and settle down to watch her do her thing - it's a brain bath and will enhance your understanding of connectivity and listenership.
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