Stairway to Seven

David Tighe, Managing Director of Bauer Media NI.

My seven steps for business success

David Tighe is the Managing Director of Bauer Media NI, the largest radio group in NI (the home of Cool FM, Downtown Radio and Downtown Country). Bauer Media operate with a HQ in Hamburg and are present in eight countries (the most recent country added was the Republic of Ireland with the purchase of Communicorp).

Having previously worked in media at MD/CEO level in both GB and RoI, and in media development with governments around the world, David brings a wealth of experience in strategy, commercial and audience development, digital innovation, corporate social responsibility and political engagement. Bauer Media NI provide local, national and international clients with a full set of traditional and digital advertising solutions as well as making a significant contribution to the life and fabric of NI society, reaching 731,000 listeners a week on the air as well as their highly engaged and vast online audiences.

1. POSITIVE MINDSET

I try hard to remain positive at all times; this may be harder than it looks! However, finding the positives in whatever happens helps us to push on, or reappraise a situation. John C Maxwell wrote a book called “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn” and I love the way this phrase encapsulates learning from the toughest of situations and improving yourself as you move forward. In business, I believe you make better decisions from a positive mindset and teams work better with encouragement and optimism. I actually started my career in comedy, so I think it’s always a good idea to retain a sense of humour and fun in what you do.

2. RECOGNITION

Individuals and teams that do great work deserve recognition and praise. For me, taking the time to recognise and congratulate an individual or team is really important. Sometimes that recognition could be financial but more often than not it’s valuable when it’s personal. The personal approach is vital. Taking the time to understand how everyone is contributing is an important action and speaks volumes on many levels. To be appreciated in an authentic way encourages even better work into the future, develops confidence and trust and helps people to become as “big as the space they want to fill…”

3. TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK AND LISTEN

The quickest decisions are not always the best decisions. Over the years I have made more appointments with “myself” to give me some of those all-important moments to digest, think and rationalise when it comes to important decisions. This has been transformational and has helped me make better decisions. I would also recommend spending more time listening to people, and I mean really listening. Many people will “appear” to listen, but in reality are thinking about what they are going to say next; really listening is so powerful for all involved and can really help in many different scenarios.

4. DIVERSITY

A diverse workplace is a better workplace. Diversity brings better ideas, better levels of creativity, better problem solving and a better view of the world we live in. I was privileged to have worked with aid organisations in parts of the world that don’t have the same opportunities as we do here in NI. To help communities (many in conflict or war) develop and see the benefits of working together was an experience that will stay with me forever; in business, we are the sum of all our parts and this should be reflected and positively encouraged.

5. PACE

Media is a fast-paced environment, so the ability to move ahead quickly and deal with multiple issues efficiently is a benefit. I think pace in a business is a good thing; it could also be termed as energy or an endearing commitment to move things forward every week or even every day. To have a team of people who are hungry to improve themselves and the business, and who constantly look for improvements and new ways of doing things brings great energy, creativity and momentum to any business. This ultimately means the business and those in it are always improving.

6. HONESTY AND EMPATHY

Some of the most valuable attributes of any leader are honesty and authenticity. I try to be both at all times. Being transparent with people is a positive in my mind. We all like to know where we stand and how we can improve and indeed, when we have done something well. Having the courage to be honest is a great characteristic for any leader, but it must be done with humility and empathy.

7. EDUCATION WITHOUT ACTION IS ENTERTAINMENT – KEEP ON LEARNING AND KEEP ON DOING

The world is changing at a rapid pace and the last 12 months have accelerated those developments even faster. Being open to new ideas, new ways of operating, emerging technology and innovative methods of management are a real plus in my mind. However, in my career, I have been in many learning environments where everyone leaves, and nothing changes or is implemented as a result of that education. I love the phrase “education without action is entertainment” and for me, this really means that we must take all opportunities of learning (an input) and back it up with action (an output) otherwise it’s a wasted opportunity. Keep on learning and importantly, keep on “doing” – the result of that learning.