Are you showing up?

Sometimes I scream at the radio.

This morning I checked my FM presets at 8:15, and every single station was playing a commercial. Every. Single. One. So I turned on a podcast.

The last time I found myself yelling in my car was before Christmas. A local rock show was doing a live broadcast with listeners and I was laughing along. Then, the host thanked everyone for coming to their Cinco de Mayo party. It was a “best of…” clip the week before Christmas. Are you kidding me right now?

If you’re reading this, you’re not voice-tracked (yet). You still have the chance to connect, and to resonate with unique, fun, honest conversations and segments.

I renamed this newsletter Showing Up as a reminder to myself and my community to show up. Show up for yourself. Show up for your team. Show up for your audience. While other stations and shows go through the motions, can you be 10% more honest, 10% more interesting, 10% more creative with your execution?

Homework: What can you do this week to show up more fully somewhere in your work?

Here are some ideas:

• Say what others are thinking but won’t admit out loud. On the air. In meetings.

• Take responsibility.

• Ask for help.

• Say you’re sorry.

• Set a boundary.

• Hold your team accountable.

• Demand more.

• Ask for time off.

• Reach out to colleagues for ideas.

• Show up on time.

• Do what you say you’re going to do.

• Stay present.

• Network.

I am 100% convinced that showing up feels better than going through the motions. And it definitely feels better than giving up or giving in.

Here’s a recent example of how a host showed up for a listener.

She had just lost the game. She didn’t win the tickets to Knott’s Berry Farm. The host apologized, but she said it was OK. Her kids, in the car with her, were just happy to play. They had had a rough couple of months, she said.

When the host asked her what was going on, she admitted that their dad, her husband, passed away a couple of months ago.

The host paused, caught his breath and took the opportunity to connect. He first sent his condolences to them on the air. Then he offered her and her children tickets to the private party at Knott’s.

Then, he said I want you to come say hi. I want to talk to you a few minutes…(get this) so you can tell me about your dad. Will you do that?

These moments don’t happen every day but I can guarantee that these are the moments that people remember.