Q&A with Colleen Louw - Turnaround specialist and managing director of Kaya 959

As managing director, my role is to oversee the station in its entirety, making sure that it runs smoothly and remains competitive on all fronts.

There are many factors to consider when embarking on a process of this kind. For us at Kaya, it was a deliberate and gradual undertaking that explored a range of areas, such as market insights, audience behaviour and environmental trends, analysis of spend, viability of target market, programming content and strategy, multimedia positioning and strategy. Importantly though, we had to embrace the Kaya brand and hold on to what it stood for in the minds of listeners. Far too often the tendency is for leaders to make rapid changes and collapse the DNA of a brand that’s taken years to cultivate. We were mindful that Kaya was symbolic of something much more than just a radio station, and that this needed to be preserved.

Honestly, I doubt if it’s possible to lead without being transformational. To successfully implement a turnaround strategy in any business, you need to inspire a shared vision. You have to inspire change, develop a culture that believes and delivers the strategy. Basically, shift people’s focus from what used to be to what we can become! You know, when a team feels ownership of the process you can do wonders. This style of leadership creates a culture of agency, where all team members feel and believe they can achieve. In our work environment getting to grips with this kind of way of doing things takes time, consistency in approach and an honest reflection of the metrics.

We’ve successfully positioned the brand in a more economically viable sector of the marketplace, and over the past couple of years we have managed to gain a solid foothold of Gauteng’s middle class.

Ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, I was part of the Primedia Broadcasting leadership that founded Lead SA, a civic initiative aimed at inspiring active citizenry by encouraging every South African to take responsibility for driving positive change in their communities. Lead SA emphasised the idea that everyone has the power to make a difference, and that if each of us was intentional about doing the right thing, we could achieve social change. We wanted to mobilise real action and get people engaged in community upliftment. The work we did was purposeful and it resonated with many people around the country.

Sharing value and unlocking value must happen right across the chain of the business. No longer can companies afford to only consider what is good for the bottom line. We have a responsibility as people to intersect that with the needs of the communities we are part of. Kaya is on a journey with its audience, reflecting that awareness is what we do.

I work informally as an advisor to some community radio stations at which I was previously a board member. I have a personal interest in growing the medium even in small ways. I am always open to meeting with peers in our industry and as far as possible to meet with on-air and off-air talent. I enjoy a wide circle of contacts and relationships in the industry.

I am eternally curious about people; I love meeting people and understanding their views and interests. I enjoy a fast-paced work environment, and I’m a firm believer in trying and experimenting with concepts and different ways of doing things. I am constantly dreaming up creative ways for our brand to be seen. Kaya has an ability to be effortlessly part of the lives of South Africans and it’s an inspiring place to work.

To succeed in this industry, you need to understand the business you are in, the power of your platforms and how to use them for profit and good. You need to understand the rules of engagement and have the capacity to exercise influence. You need to be able to act with a healthy dose of agency and autonomously if need be, as long as you are aligned to strategy. This allows you to be comfortable in the “grey” of the world we live in and cope with the relentless pace and curve balls that come your way. We are living in unique times where things change at the speed of life, and you need the tools and resilience to sustain you.

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