I haven’t been able to blog every day because of a book deadline. But there was an item in the news that deserves mention.

Ron Lundy, a legendary New york disc jockey for decades, died earlier this month at the age of 75. Lundy was renowned for a sparkling, cheerful drawl that warmed all his listeners.

One day in my college years, back when I aspired to be a DJ, I had the chance to visit the WABC studio and watch Lundy do his show.

Three impressions remain:

First, it was not a big or fancy studio. In fact, sitting there it was impossible to believe that this little room produced all the music that entertained millions of people across several states.

Second, Lundy had fun recalling the Top-40 radio formula taught to him years earlier. “Light, bright and tight,” he kept repeating to those in the studio while he was not on the air. “Light, bright and tight.” In other words, be cheerful and efficient with words.

Finally, the formula comes in threes: “Light. Bright. Tight.”

Putting this together for anyone who is a leader, it means that your facility need not be fancy. It merely needs to stand for something, to have a formula. Can your team philosophy be easily expressed and understood?

And finally, it helps to think in threes. Three objectives. Three points of emphasis. Three of anything.
Ron Lundy. He was a daily touchstone and a role model. Wo knew that one day he would be a coach?