You’ll have heard it stated that should you and your cohost at all times agree, certainly one of you is pointless. That concept comes from a citation by William Wrigley Jr.:
When two males at all times agree, certainly one of them is pointless.
—William Wrigley, Jr., “Spunk By no means Value a Man a Job Price Having,” The American Journal, March 1931
There may be some fact within the warning. A bunch of yes-men could make poor selections as a result of no one challenges the concepts being introduced. Wholesome questions and considerate pushback could make a enterprise, a staff, or a podcast stronger.
However I don’t suppose it’s best to select a podcast cohost just because they disagree with you. cohost does greater than present opposition. They assist create a richer, extra helpful expertise in your viewers.
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1. Unity is power
Right here’s an announcement that may sound controversial: variety just isn’t our power. Unity is.
Take into consideration the good issues individuals accomplish collectively. Constructing a skyscraper, going to the moon, growing a brand new expertise, elevating a household, and constructing a profitable enterprise all require individuals to work towards one thing collectively.
A podcast isn’t any totally different. If you and your cohost are unified across the goal of the present, you’ll be able to work collectively to create higher content material and a greater expertise in your viewers.
Unity doesn’t imply you might have an identical opinions. It doesn’t imply you by no means query one another. It means you agree in regards to the larger issues, similar to what the podcast is about, whom it serves, and what worth you wish to present.
A podcasting convention is robust as a result of its content material is unified round podcasting. If the periods have been about utterly unrelated topics, it wouldn’t actually be a podcasting convention anymore. Your podcast wants that very same sort of focus.
There are exceptions. A debate-style podcast could also be constructed round opposing views. For instance, I as soon as thought-about making a tech information podcast from the attitude of a Home windows fan and a Mac fan. That might have been entertaining as a result of the disagreement would have been a part of the present’s promise.
However for many cohosted podcasts, it’s more healthy to have extra settlement than disagreement. Be unified about what you’re making an attempt to perform, even if you see particular person matters in another way.
2. Various views create depth
If you and your cohost come from totally different backgrounds, you’ll discover various things. That doesn’t mechanically imply you disagree.
Consider the acquainted instance of a number of blind individuals describing an elephant. One feels the trunk. One other feels a leg. One other feels the ear. They’re describing totally different elements of the identical animal. They aren’t essentially contradicting one another. They’re contributing totally different views to a shared understanding.
Your podcast can profit from the identical factor. You and your cohost might have totally different experiences, pursuits, beliefs, or areas of experience. Even in case you have watched the identical tv present, learn the identical ebook, or skilled the identical occasion, totally different particulars might stand out to every of you.
That creates depth.
You don’t need to pressure disagreements. As a substitute, welcome totally different observations and ask your cohost to elucidate what they observed and why it mattered to them. The dialog turns into extra attention-grabbing as a result of your viewers will get to method the topic from a number of angles.
You should still disagree a couple of concept or conclusion, and that’s fantastic. However the purpose isn’t to fabricate battle. The purpose is to present your viewers a fuller understanding.
3. Depth reveals divergence
As you discover a subject extra deeply, you’ll naturally discover locations the place your views diverge.
You may start by agreeing that one thing is nice, helpful, or price discussing. However as you look at it extra intently, you could uncover that you just respect totally different elements of it or attain totally different conclusions about why it really works.
Meals is an easy instance. Two individuals may agree that they love the identical dessert. One particular person might love the crunch. One other might respect the layered flavors. Another person might benefit from the sweetness, whereas one other particular person notices a slight bitterness.
They’re all speaking about the identical dessert. Their deeper explanations reveal totally different preferences.
The identical factor occurs in podcast conversations. Chances are you’ll agree about the principle topic, however diverge in your descriptions, functions, theories, or conclusions. These variations don’t weaken the dialog. They’ll make it extra insightful.
So don’t search for disagreement initially. Begin with the shared curiosity, then go deeper. The divergence will usually seem naturally.
4. Podcast with power givers, not takers or wasters
An important query might not be whether or not somebody agrees or disagrees with you. It could be whether or not they give power to the dialog.
An power giver builds on what the opposite particular person says. They may reply, “That’s an incredible concept. I hadn’t thought of it that means,” after which add their very own perspective. Even after they disagree, they continue to be engaged and assist transfer the dialog ahead.
An power taker does the alternative. They drain the passion from the dialogue. You convey an thrilling concept, they usually reply with, “No. That was horrible,” with out including something helpful. The disagreement itself isn’t essentially the issue. It’s the best way the disagreement shuts down the dialog.
Then there are power wasters. These individuals might agree with every thing, however contribute nothing past “Yeah.” They repeat what you simply stated, go away awkward gaps, or fail so as to add one other perception, instance, or query.
That’s when certainly one of you may very well be pointless. Not since you agree, however as a result of one particular person is losing the momentum of the dialog.
cohost can agree, disagree, query, make clear, and construct in your concepts. The widespread thread is that they contribute power and worth.
So, if you consider a possible cohost, don’t focus solely on whether or not they have opposing opinions. Search for somebody who’s unified with you in regards to the goal of the podcast, brings totally different views, explores matters with you, and provides power to the dialog.
That mixture is way more worthwhile than disagreement for its personal sake.
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Disclosure
This put up might comprise hyperlinks to services or products with which I’ve an affiliate relationship. I’ll obtain compensation out of your actions by way of such hyperlinks. Nevertheless, I do not let that corrupt my perspective and I do not suggest solely associates.
