I was a guest on Cleveland morning TV this morning, Channel 19. On air the hosts referred to me as a “friend of the show.” These four little words I will whittle down to three words, Friend of Show.
Those three words made me feel good. When someone else refers to you as a friend or adviser or confidant, that is quite an accomplishment. It’s one thing if we walk around saying we are a “trusted adviser.” It’s another thing when a client says the same thing about us.
It was my third visit to this show as their “communication expert,” NOW Friend of Show. When Bill Clinton was president there was a phenomenon called FOB. FOB stood for Friends of Bill. It was an elite club in which to be a member.
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF), Israel’s Army, has a very active support group called the FIDF, Friends of the IDF. Becoming and maintaining status as a “friend” comes with responsibilities and obligations.
How do you become a friend of someone, an adviser, a confidant? If it was easy, everyone would attain these titles. While I would like to think that it is my competence that has catapulted me to Friend of Show, as a communication expert I know better.
Fortunately, I have a few weeks’ notice to prepare. It’s not easy! Think about it, TV is a visual medium. On my part there is a little preparation for the competence part (I have spent a lifetime accumulating what I know), a lot of prep for the visual part. You know the joke about some people’s looks being made for radio?
Here is a view into my prep list: The week before tape date, start whitening teeth daily. Check. Two days before the guest appearance, get spray tan. Check. The goal is to have color without looking like you tried. Day before appearance, freshen color highlights in hair. Check. Get cupcakes to take as a gift/thank you. Check. Clear schedule to get as many workouts as possible in, Check. Decide on clothes and jewelry, keep in mind sitting position. Check. Send thank you note afterwards. Check.
We all want to be appreciated. If you remember in the Godfather, the consigliere was the trusted adviser to the Don. Whether your steps are verbal, vocal or visual, are you willing to take the steps in order to attain the coveted position of ‘Friend of?’
