Leadership lessons from veteran editors

For the recent API seminar, the New Editors' Survival Guide, API asked some veteran editors to share with the new editors important lessons they learned as new editors. I will share some of them here over the next few weeks. I invite you to add some of the lessons that have been most helpful to you as an editor.

From Peter Bhatia, executive editor of The Oregonian:
Be honest. Be direct. Be compassionate.

Many would say these can't co-exist. I found they could in a unique way. Literally, the first week I became a department head - I was all of 28 years old - I was called in and told I had to fire a longtime employee that evening. It was someone I knew and liked, and who had been kind to me when I came on the paper. I had no training or experience in hiring, let along firing. But I did as directed, and learned that laying the issues on the table, explaining carefully and never losing sight of the fact another human being was across the desk from me made the process as good as it could be.

It took me a long time to learn it - and having kids - but you are a better leader if you have a life outside work. Early in my career I figured I would get ahead by outworking everyone else - and I did. But as I came to supervise and lead others, it became apparent that the best folks we had were the ones with a more balanced lifestyle. That is, who had interests, friends and responsibilities outside of journalism. Those folks had more well-rounded life experiences that informed their journalism. And they helped the paper because they saw stories everywhere - at schools, at the store, at community events, etc.

And one other: Listen. Listen. Listen. As a young manager, I feared if I didn't have every answer or didn't know everything about everything I would be seen as a failure. The truth is quite the contrary. Listening to the people you supervise, asking good questions, and admitting when you don't know the answer (and then getting it), shows that you are human and flexible about others. It sounds trite but just taking the time to listen and then playing back to people - even when they just want a yes or no - will help you be more effective. It also gives you time to think before you make a pronouncement, always a good thing.

Rene Kaluza, cay city editor/training editor, St, Cloud Times, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Look for the motivation triggers for each person you supervise. That means finding out what makes them work harder, strive to do better, aim higher. For some people, their motivation might be something simple like needing regular praise. Others are motivated by challenges that will take them to their next job. Competition motivates others.

This usually means you have to do a lot of listening and asking questions (use those old reporter skills). When it's time to assign something, you can tailor your approach to focus on those motivations. Of course, there will be times when they just have to bite the bullet, but they will be more responsive it they know you understand their goals.

Also, think critically about what you don't know or what you could do better on. Then figure out how to educate yourself or make changes to improve. Too often, editors find ways to work around their weaknesses instead of working to turn them into strengths. Math anxiety is a good example. If my seventh-grade math teacher knew that I now teach reporters (and editors) how to calculate percents and percentages, he'd roll over in his grave and die again. Poor Mr. Olson.

From Drew Edwards, city editor of the Guelph Mercury:

The daily miracle happens by inertia. As a new editor, I was completely panicked by the prospect of a blank sked and a blank A1 every day. How am I going to fill this paper with good news stories and solid art again today? What you come to realize is the paper does indeed get filled - though some days are better than others - and that focusing on quality over volume is the true function of a good editor.

In other words, it's important to not lose sight of the big picture while performing the daily miracle. It's easy to let all your resources get chewed up by the news while letting bigger, more ambitious projects continually fall by the wayside. It's about priorities: do I really need that cop brief for the inside pages or can that reporter's time be better spent working on a story that may not pay dividends for a month or two? That the daily miracle happens by inertia - and therefore frees up other resources - is probably the best lesson I learned in the early going.

Dan Shearer, senior editor, The Arizona Republic

Lesson: As night city editor, it was crucial to learn the production side of the room and take it into account when making decisions. I was able to use my past life as a designer/copy editor to my advantage, but I still had to demonstrate with my actions that I understood and appreciated what they faced after the copy left my hands. This meant not stealing the few remaining minutes for myself, but giving them time to design, edit and headline stories.

How it paid off: Our page-drop deadline was 10:30 p.m. and one night we had two major stories (A1 and B1) break after 10 p.m. Because I had a great working relationship with designers/copy editors, everybody was flexible and joined the adrenaline rush to nail the stories and get them in the paper for the first run. In the end, high-fives all around, and we built trust and respect that night.

Lesson: People feel appreciated in different ways. For many, it's spending time with them. I spend hours every day going from desk to desk talking to reporters. Depending on the reporter, it's a bit of small talk or all business. But in the intimacy of one-on-one communication is born a loyalty because I've taken time for them. Everybody appreciates it and responds.

How it paid off: My reporters want to work for me because they know I have their best interests at heart. And they work hard. They see me as a person, not as a boss. I care about them as journalists and people. Ultimately, the needs of the paper are always met, but along the way I ensure they get to that ballgame they've got tickets to or to their kid's parent-teacher conference. I'm flexible, and it pays off because they don't take advantage of it.

Lesson: I'm fair to everybody, but I don't treat everybody the same way. I steer people to their strengths rather than set them up for failure, though I make sure they have ample opportunity to grow. Everybody brings something to the table, but not the same thing. It's OK to treat people differently. This all, of course, takes an investment of time to know your people.

How it paid off: I recently had a reporter who wanted to change beats, from one very structured assignment to one with much less structure. It wasn't going to happen because I knew she'd flail in that environment. So we had a long talk, I explained what the new beat entailed, and slowly it dawned on her this wasn't for her. I didn't point it out, she did.