Long-time
San Francisco news anchor, Pete Wilson, passed away unexpectedly
week before last.
Pete was the very definition of a conversational news anchor,
and anyone serious about reaching their potential at the anchor
desk ought to study his work. As much as anyone we have known
and worked with over the years, he knew instinctively how to "talk"
a script instead of read it.
It wouldn't really be accurate to say we really ever coached Pete.
Oh, he was kind enough to show up for our meetings and to ask
what we thought. But then we'd start the aircheck, and we'd get
the funny feeling that he was really the one doing the coaching.
Watching Pete was a master class in doing the job with a whole
heart, and in being yourself on the air. If you haven't already,
visit
KGO's Web site for reports that include a sampling of his
work.
Here are a few of the things we hope you'll notice:
- Pete
made himself comfortable. He was as comfortable at
the anchor desk as most of us are at the kitchen table. He made
himself at home, as opposed to sitting and acting like a guest.
While you wouldn't want to copy Pete's physical style —
or anyone else's — it's tremendously important to find
an approach that is truly comfortable for you. Generally, the
more comfortable you are, the more comfortable viewers will
be watching you.
- He
made the copy his own. Like his anchor colleagues at
KGO, he prepared by going over scripts before he went on the
air, asking about things he did not understand or felt should
be changed, and rewriting when he had ideas about language that
would work better for him. In over 25 years of coaching news
talent, we've never seen an anchor who consistently read as
well cold as he did when he was prepared. Never.
- He
approached the news as a conversation, not a presentation.
Pete was not simply a reader, but a thinker. And he read stories
like he expected you to think along with him, and to be just
as fascinated by the debate at the heart of the story as he
was. Many anchors master the craft of reading flawlessly and
professionally. Far fewer master the art of discerning and communicating
the soul of the story. To get there, you have to cultivate a
love of the conversation that transcends any preoccupation with
yourself and your performance.
- He
loved the city he served. When he read a story he knew
exactly what was at stake — and who were the stakeholders.
He knew the system and its people could do better, and considered
that an important part of his job was pointing that out. Whether
you're there for two years or two decades, if you cannot develop
real affection for the place that you live and the people you
serve, your work will not live up to its potential.
- He
treated his colleagues with respect. Just read what
they have to say about him on the website. We never observed
anything different. And he was always open to coaching suggestions
about improving chemistry and teamwork on the newscast. One
of the best paths to greatness is a commitment to supporting
the greatness of those around you. There is no better way to
support yourself than to commit to supporting others.
- He
knew he could be even better. In our experience, the
truly great anchors are almost always among those most interested
in feedback and input. They are students of the medium and of
the job, and they love the conversation about ways to evolve
both. If you're going to reach your potential,you have to show
up — and be truly open to ideas about anything that might
help you do a better job. The day you're not open to coaching
is the day you stop growing. Pete never stopped growing.
If you have any additional thoughts or questions about any of
this, we'd love to hear from you.
The Coaching Company offers a day of free coaching to stations
that have never used our services. If you work for a station that
would benefit from the industry's best training, ask your News
Director to look for the information
on free coaching on TCC's homepage.
Or, contact Barry Nash
at any time to learn more. Just be sure to put Talent Coaching
in the subject line of your message.
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