129- What if your industry goes through a RIF

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Biz, we discuss the theme of your business being in an environment or business that may suffer a RIF in the near future — where RIF describes the age-old military term for “reduction in force.”

This theme for this episode was inspired by a podcast episode by Evo Terra in is show of Podcast Pontifications, where the title of the episode was called “You can’t master Podcasting with a hack mindset.”

Now, when we mention RIF, we perhaps think about the older term that meant that the Armed Forces organizations were going to be reduced, as sometimes reductions are needed during peacetime, and when national budget concerns are political toys used by the politicians. That means that you have to reduce the groups so that the most qualified professionals of their craft are the ones invited to remain. And that requires an evaluation of current and past training, listening to and learning from older professionals who are skilled in their subject matter (whether it is using sophisticated weaponry or just teaching the novice fresh out of high school about serious skills (such as “survival, escape and evasion” and mountaineering, etc.).

You see, in the US Army, the RIF occurred at the end of conflicts, and the requirements for staying in and making a career within the military were higher. For instance, it used to be after World War II that some corporals in the infantry were the best at their craft in training and preparing the young troopers with the skills of the infantry (i.e., the mission of the infantry was “to kill, capture or destroy the enemy by means of fire-and-movement and fire-and-maneuver…”). But when the RIF came along, those who wanted to stay in the Army and retire as 30-year career corporals went out the window. In other words, education with not only military training, but also civilian college degrees became the norm, as well as leadership skills, communication skills and technical skills in high tech environments. If you, as a corporal that did not want to better your skills, did not have them or were not in the process of improving your resume with them, then you were a candidate for being RIFt-ed.

The reason I make this analogy is that Evo Terra was discussing this same theme, but he did it for those who wanted to become professional podcasters (and stay as professional podcasters for as long as they can in the podosphere and with their businesses).

In order to do all the things that he professes are necessities in being a professional podcaster, Evo insists on education, training, learning from the “old timers” who started podcasting and are still in the podosphere with great names and accomplishments, as well as adapting to new programs, technologies, equipment and also COMMUNICATION and interaction with other professional podcasters. In other words, to stay as a professional podcaster, it is necessary for you to improve and not become the equivalent of the 30-year corporal who just wants to maximize his time in the military by not improving in the other requirements given for avoiding the RIF.

What kind of skills are required for the professional podcaster who wants to include this in his business?

Evo mentions these in his podcast episode in his show notes after the heading of “Beyond Podcasting 101”:

audio production skills;
copywriting skills;
social media communication skills;
writing skills for different platforms and policies;
website skills and customized graphics;
marketing skills;
sales skills;
diplomat and liaison skills when dealing with others, with leaders and celebrities and officers of different companies, organizations and (yes) the military;
He also mentions this in a nutshell: “…That website needs to be built out and maintained. And the show needs to be marketed so it grows. Don’t forget liaising with other podcasters. And someone needs to figure out the business plan so the show succeeds and your idea of being a professional podcaster actually becomes a going concern and how you put food on the table.”

And the aspiring professional podcaster will see the dilemma of the limitations of true podcasting. As Evo states: “…to really be a professional podcaster… A few are able to master all of it on their own. More realize their own limitations and enlist the services of others. But even then, the podcaster has an understanding of all the pieces and can step in when necessary. Because it all has to be done.”

As Evo then gives several real-world paths for those who want to don the mantle of professional podcaster, he reminds us that we do need the help of a role model or mentor (call that individual what you will who has the experience and is considered to be more than a thought-leader in the podosphere). In fact, he states the old, but true, saying: “If I see further than others, it’s because I stand on the shoulders of giants. ”

And who knows? You, too, may become a knowledgeable professional in your field of business, and the entrepreneurial world may not RIF you when the reduction or change of direction or a PIVOT occurs in your environment or profession. In fact, what I would aspire to be is not only a resource at the top of my field (as I had been once before in Corporate America after 25 years of service and learning), but a “guiding light” to help others from my own lifetime education and learning from experience — and thus, I can truly call myself a “professional.”

We hope that you, too, can aspire to become a constantly educated and constantly learning professional in your field and thus, avoid the RIF in your business environment if and when it comes.

Thank you for your attention.