In the radio business the people that do most of the talking are called talent. I suspect that if you've picked up this book you are "one of them." If not, then you are one of me-a coach. Now, I used to be a talent and that means I don't quite fit into the mold cast on most consultants of "those who can't, teach." I've been there, done that, got the ratings and the t-shirts (lots of t-shirts). As a talent coach, I have worked with a number of successful radio and pod-cast personalities. I have found each one of them to be unique individuals and I've found it to be extremely difficult to cast them all in one bucket. If it were that easy everyone would be famous and I'd be better at cutting and pasting because that's all I'd have to do to help people achieve their goals. Of course, I know that the consultancy industry is replete with consultants that do this kind of work. I, on the other hand, have always felt that radio was too unique to be put in a box. I guess that makes me an outsider. If that's the case, then I feel better breathing fresh air. Mostly I'm a content programmer by trade. I create and/or help others create content in the form of products that lots of people listen to over and over again. In creating those content-constructed products I have found that if I didn't get the talent coaching right then the dream of the content-constructed product was flushed down the drain. The talent drives the content. When a performer gets it, they do with words what a famous painter does with brushes and a million color combinations. If the performer has the gift, I'll find it and bring it out of them. If there is enough gifting, then the performer's content will take off and lots of people will listen and tell others to listen. If the performer is not sufficiently gifted, then I'll make him or her a better place holder-and that is just the way it is. The good news? Most people who want to perform have some gift. Finding it and realizing it is where the work comes in. Performing on-mic is not an easy task. There's lots to think about before, during, and after and much of that thinking is not about what you're saying at that very moment. It is most definitely an art that is ever changing. My attempt is to help the performer understand what they need to get done and then help them do it.