Sometimes its knowing what you don't know....

One thing that proved to be something of an “aha!” moment for me happened back when we were putting Channel 39 on the air in Rockford. It was an enormous challenge for me. I had no experienced ‘mentor’ or anybody I could lean on for wise counsel and my experience level in television was not that deep. I had a little experience—but, in hindsight, precious little. Yet I had been tasked with getting a new, small market, independent television station up and running. I needed advice on everything from technical stuff, to personnel, to programming to a ‘strategy’ to allow the thing to survive, and ultimately thrive.

To complicate the task, I was surrounded people who were not the best equipped to get the station up and running--some better than others--but a quirky lot at best. My only advice from the owner of the station--my nepotistic Uncle Marvin-- was to keep expenses low…and I wasn’t even sure what “low” was (such a relative term). And also “keep the ball rolling…” (his other consistent piece of advice).

So, since I realized that I had no idea how to approach what I was supposed to be doing, I resorted to the following: I would call people up—TV station people—in other markets, all over the country. I would just be honest, open and painfully vulnerable. I had to be willing to flaunt my inexperience, and say. “ I’m trying to do ‘thus and so’ and I have no idea how to even think about it…what would you do?” I asked open-ended questions. I asked multiple-choice questions. I found people were genuinely very helpful and supportive and willing to give as much time and advice and help as I was willing to accept. Sometimes, I’d have to call them back and say “you know that part where you said…. I don’t remember why you said that.” Or “what if this is our situation…would you still advise the same way”.

Channel 39 survived and prospered, not because of what I knew and was able to implement, but because I was willing to admit what I didn’t know—had no clue about.
I was painfully aware of what I didn’t know, it forced me to humble myself and just tell people who were my would-be peers, in essence, ‘I’ve got no clue what I’m supposed to be doing here…or how to approach this’…and sit back, listen, take advice, learn things, ask more questions, acquire facts and contacts and ideas, and then proceed to put those things into practice in the new venture.

It is not always what you know that counts, but being willing to accept and admit what you don’t know, and then proceed ahead.