Benchmarking: Righting a Wrong

You may have heard, Katie Couric has left CBS, 5 years after leaving the Today Show. She has moved on to ABC and is working on a daytime talk show.  Meredith Vera, who left The View to replace Katie on the Today Show, has resigned her position as well.  Five years ago, that was major news; is Katie staying with NBC, who will replace her?  She dragged that decision out for what seemed like forever. Then she finally confirmed the rumors and moved to CBS to take over the nightly news desk left vacant by Dan Rather.  I like Katie, I really do, no buts.  She can be credible, tough, and sensitive at the same time. I like Meredith as well, I was not as familiar with her but since taking over for Couric, I’ve seen her and read stories about her.

When all this shuffling took place, CBS and NBC had some major benchmarking questions to answer.  For NBC, they were losing a major star in the news department, who could possibly jump in with Matt Lauer, and Al Roker, and keep the attention and respect of the viewers.  CBS had lost Dan Rather, under strange circumstances; remember that terrible report he backed which turned out to be false? They needed to rebound and recover from that embarrassment quickly.  As the word spread that Couric would be called upon to bring CBS back to respectability, the other networks had to react. ABC even moved Diane Sawyer to their nightly desk, after Charles Gibson stepped down.  Those moves were done way more discretely and without fan fair.  So Katie goes to CBS, Meredith goes to NBC, and Rosie O’Donnell joins the View. I won’t even talk about that one.

Surely NBC and CBS had someone that could have stepped in and took over without going outside the company.  Well…After thinking about it maybe CBS didn’t.  ABC had excellent bench marking in place, Charlie Gibson left, Diane took over, and Robin Roberts took over for her.  NBC However, they hired an externally when it seem they had a rock star waiting. We all have been there; an open position, you apply but the company brings in someone else.  Kinda tough to swallow but you have to forge ahead. Some applicants can’t recover and it dominates them. Ultimately, they quit, get fired or stay in the same position until they retire.  You can handle it that way or maintain professionalism and let the laws of nature run their course.  You know; cream rises to the top, good meat makes its own gravy, hard work and a good attitude pay off.

This week Ann Curry was named as co-host of the Today show.  Ann has always been there smiling, and taking on any assignment.  She did the physical challenges, the emotional draining, the heartbreaking, stomach turning, inspirational and uplifting stories. From the outside looking in; Ann should have been the obvious choice 5 years ago.  NBC should have done what ABC did, stay in-house.  Ann was right under their noses.  No disrespect to Meredith but Ann is a better fit.  So I say congratulations Mrs. Ann Curry, you deserve it.

HR folks should have benchmarking in place and consider the impact of external hiring on morale and productivity. And employees, if you get looked over for a job or two, remain professional.  If your current employer doesn’t see your value and worth, someone else will.  And if you don’t know, now you know.