Yesterday I attended a taping of the new game show on Channel Nine, 1 vs 100. As the replacement for “Who wants to be a millionaire?”, Nine are really hoping for big things from their new product.

Launching a new product can be both exciting and scary at the same time.

• Will it work?
• Will people like it?
• What do I do if no-one buys/consumes/watches my new thing?

If you are in charge of the business, one really important question that you should be asking yourself before you launch is,

Are we ready?

In the software game, the answer is usually yes (otherwise you would never launch anything). Bugs can be ironed out as you go along, as rightly or wrongly, customers expect a few glitches in any new software.

Different markets however have different standards, with much higher customer expectations for getting it right first time, every time. Only the most trusting people would get on a new aeroplane that was “90% okay, just a few bugs here and there”!

What is the standard for new TV shows from major networks, and what is the role of the CEO in making sure they get it right?

Recent news stories have questioned the wisdom of Eddie McGuire attempting to run the network and host the show at the same time, suggesting that no-one could possibly have time for both.

Yesterday’s taping produced more of the technical glitches that have plagued the show since inception. Constant breaks to fix errors, questions repeated 2 or 3 times, as well as multiple contestants complaining of being ejected despite pressing the correct answer.

While the producers and Eddie all did an excellent job of keeping the audience and contestants entertained during the repeated mishaps, the end result was that filming had to stop for the day.

Over 200 people who had been sitting waiting patiently were sent home at 7:30pm with apologies. Some had been there since early morning, while most had been waiting from 2pm. All were asked to sign back up to a “priority list”, which offers no guarantees of a call back.

It is here that the role of McGuire as the head of the business becomes critical. Where is he best served - learning his lines for the next taping, or putting in place processes to ensure that the technical errors don’t happen again?

Someone has taken their eye off the ball over at Channel Nine, resulting in a show that is nowhere near ready to begin taping. McGuire has obviously made a strategic decision that the interests of Nine are best served with him fronting the show, but recent events would suggest otherwise.

Decisions like these pop up every day in business, and management need to make the correct choices. Focus on one thing or many things? Am I spread too thinly, or is the allocation of my time just right?

My opinion?

Focus on one thing and be great at it. Focus on many things, and be average.