Embracing Change: Building a Culture of Testing and Evolution in Public Media
Change is an inevitable force that shapes the course of evolution and growth, even in the realm of public media. As we see public media on this ongoing transformative journey, we must recognize that embracing change through testing is not only important but essential for our sustainability and growth.
Testing is often seen as a daunting task—one that raises concerns and doubts. However, the truth is, organizations that wholeheartedly embrace testing not only bring in more revenue but also foster a culture where employees are more engaged and fulfilled. It's a win-win scenario that we at CDP believe in deeply.
In this blog, we aim to shed light on the barriers that stand in the way of testing and provide practical solutions to overcome them. The solutions below—indeed, tests themselves—are not just about revenue. They are about building stronger, more resilient organizations and, ultimately, better serving our audiences and communities.
Barrier 1: Lack of Resources
One common barrier is the belief that testing requires significant financial and human resources. This misconception often deters organizations—especially smaller ones—from fully embracing testing practices. Employees feel that even if they had the time and creative for ads, the organization would lack the budget to actually place those ads on Facebook and other locations. However, the truth is that impactful testing doesn't always demand complex tools, significant time allotments or massive budgets.
Solution
By promoting easy and cost-effective testing methods, organizations can start small and gradually expand their testing initiatives. Simple A/B tests can yield valuable insights, and utilizing free or affordable tools can gather essential data without breaking the bank. Despite what you maybe have been told, your testing plan does not need to look like a March Madness schedule. Rather, a simple and focused schedule can win the donation game. You can help your team see this by highlighting concrete examples of successful tests that did not require extensive resources to succeed. Start with something as simple as the color of your donate button—change it and compare the number of clicks in the previous month and the same month the previous year. You would be amazed what a few small, easy changes can accomplish.
Barrier 2: Fear of Failure
The fear of failure is a powerful emotional barrier that can prevent individuals from fully engaging in testing. Worries about negative consequences or appearing incompetent may hinder experimentation and progress. Essentially, nobody wants to look stupid and/or risk losing their job. To make matters more complicated, you don’t just need folks to fail once—you likely need them to fail again and again on the path to success, learning a bit each time. That makes this a harder, ongoing battle.
Solution
Reframing failure as a learning opportunity is key to overcoming this barrier. Regardless of the outcome, focus on the journey of progress rather than immediate success. Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, once said, “We don’t celebrate failure, we celebrate learning,” That is what you should be aiming for! Much like movers build muscle, which makes moving heavy items easier as their career progresses, your team needs to exercise that “failure/learning” muscle as their careers grow. As that muscle grows, it will become easier for your team to take educated risk-taking with a longer view of what constitutes “success.”
Barrier 3: Resistance to Change
Individuals may resist leaving familiar practices due to the perceived safety and stability of the current methods. Those current methods can make folks comfortable—this doesn’t mean they are lazy; it just means they feel safe. Think about being on a sofa watching a movie. Do you not change positions because you are lazy? No. You are comfortable, until you start to cramp or feel other discomfort—then you change. It is discomfort that drives change, not comfort.
Solution
Setting clear and time-sensitive goals that challenge teams to step outside their comfort zones can break this barrier. Rewarding risk-taking efforts, even if they don't result in immediate success, can motivate individuals to explore innovative approaches. Cultivate a culture that values proactive learning and evolution over maintaining the status quo, not by setting “success goals,” but rather “do something goals,” even if that “something” doesn’t work. Often the mere act of movement will begin to break this barrier down.
Barrier 4: Impatience for Results
In the fast-paced digital landscape, impatience for immediate results can lead to rash decision-making based on emotions rather than data-driven insights. Waiting for comprehensive test results may be frustrating, but rushing decisions can lead to suboptimal outcomes. Often, we find that unless folks can get immediate results, they do not even bother testing, as they feel pressure from their leaders to deliver results and deliver them quickly.
Solution
Embrace patience as a virtue in the testing process. Educate your team on the importance of data-driven decision-making, even if it means waiting for results. Setting realistic calendars for your team and DON’T let them speed through. Highlight the benefits of waiting for comprehensive data before making crucial decisions by NOT asking them for immediate results and considering, through discussion, if waiting for more data makes sense.
Conclusion: Embrace the Journey of Testing
Embracing change and building a culture of testing is fundamental to the growth and evolution of public media and your specific station. By overcoming barriers such as resource limitations, fear of failure, resistance to change, and impatience for results, organizations can harness the power of testing to enhance revenue and engage audiences and stay competitive in an ever-evolving landscape.
Remember, every test, whether it succeeds or fails, is a stepping stone towards progress and improvement. Together, your team can embrace the journey of testing and push your station into a new era of success.