Here’s a followup to yesterday’s post on attitude. It’s aimed at management. You can foster a successful attitude in the newsroom by becoming the leader you’re supposed to be. The following ideas will lead you in that direction.
Lead by Example
If you want your newsroom to embody certain traits, act that way. Groups often take on the personality and habits of their leader. Especially a successful leader.
You can influence your news staff by how you conduct yourself. Want a newsroom filled with gung-ho attitude? Challenge your group with positive encouragement. Show your appreciation when they deliver – especially when they take the extra step. Do your job enthusiastically.
Groups with ineffective leaders lack cohesion and a defined personality. The absence of strong direction allows different subgroups to compete for attention and power.
Nature abhors a vacuum. Weak leaders soon discover that others will rush to fill the leadership vacuum. They do so without regard for the group as a whole. Their quest is purely personal and friction is inevitable with the other pretenders.
Chaos follows.
Provide A Clear Mission
People work better when they understand the big picture. This type of knowledge allows people to add meaning to their efforts. Make sure the newsroom understands what you’re trying to accomplish.
Deliver your vision in a presentation that allows for question and answers. Provide a written followup. Avoid thinking you can accomplish the task by sending out a memo. Too disconnected and there’s no guarantee that people will read or understand it.
The mission differs for every station – just make sure everyone in your newsroom can articulate it.
Better yet, give your staff an opportunity to help shape it. Present the overall goal and seek input on how to achieve it. You’re certain to get good ideas. You’ll also achieve buyin – a key motivating factor.
People get frustrated when they don’t understand their roles. You can tell and ask people to do things over time without explaining the why of doing so. Sooner or later their efforts become less productive.
Bad for both sides.
Treat People As Individuals
These six words are great advice for anyone in management. I wish I learned them earlier in my career:
You manage things; you lead people.
It’s easier to lead when you know the people you work with. Take the time to learn what makes them tick. Discover how to motivate those that need it. Somebody may respond to a kind word while a counterpart is okay with a figurative kick in the pants.
A one size fits all approach to dealing with people will never produce optimum results. Not all people wired in the same way.
It’s your job to discover the differences. Yes, it’s a lot of work. That’s why you get paid the big bucks.
Provide Feedback
I heard a common refrain when visiting our owned stations or those where I was doing due diligence. People often complained about the lack of feedback from their supervisor. They were clueless about how their boss felt about their work.
Believe it or not, people want to know where they stand. For sure, the good ones do. You’ve got to make this interaction happen.
You’re buried in paperwork. You’re understaffed. You’re tied up in too many meetings. All true.
Yet, it’s a big mistake not to provide feedback. Doing it once or twice a year in formal evaluations is no substitute. The issues (if any) that arise in these meetings could have been addressed earlier. Dealt with then. Less friction.
Even the recipient of an excellent review is shortchanged. What’s wrong with delivering the good news on a periodic basis throughout the year? Haven’t they deserved it?
Avoid the trap of offering only negative feedback. Positive feedback has value as well. It’s clear recognition for a job well done. Everybody likes applause. It also destroys the notion that you take good work for granted because it’s expected or obvious.
Here’s a final tip. Make your feedback specific and clear. Don’t criticize a report by saying “I just didn’t like it.” or “You’ve done better.” That’s no help to the other party.
Give them the reasons you were underwhelmed. Pacing off. Soundbite boring. Copy jumbled. Visuals weak. Lead buried. What was it?
Make sure they know how to improve their work. Saves you having the same type of meeting the next time.
Listen
Being a leader doesn’t mean every good idea has to come from you. Successful leaders understand that results matter more than ownership of ideas. You’ll listen to and act upon solid ideas from people in your newsroom.
And you’ll credit those who contributed. It’s the right and ethical thing to do.
You’ll get more input and ideas when people realize that you’ll act upon them. Your job gets easier when the entire team is pitching in to help.
Lao Tzu, the famous Chinese philosopher and author of Tao Te Ching, said it this way:
To lead people, walk behind them.
Share Information
We’ve discussed the value of having your newsroom see the big picture. They feel connected and look for ways to contribute. Build those desires by sharing information with them.
Some organizations like to keep their people in the dark. Even hide the good stuff.
Why? People find out anyway. Or, they feed on rumors that are worse than the actual situation. Either way, you lose.
Sharing information lets people know that you respect them. It also can help calm fears in bad situations. Uncertainty is often a bigger drag on morale than actually dealing with bad news.
I’ve seen the damaging effects secrecy had in newsrooms. Meeting with station management offsite in hotel rooms did little to help morale when the word leaked out that the station had hired a news consultant.
Management was convinced this approach was the right way. Wrong.
I’ve also seen the opposite approach when a General Manager invited all department heads to see my news research presentation. Trust was evident from all parties. Very well adjusted group. Excellent results followed.
Some information does require a limited audience. Yet, it’s probably a lot less than you realize.
I’m surprised at how many people thought business was about beating the competition. It’s more about dealing with people. The more you excel at that, the easier it becomes to beat your competition.
