Free Advice

CAIRO (May 17, 2010) — From across the Nile, the call to morning prayers beckons. It’s not yet 4:30 in the morning, but it is one of those rare moments when the melodious chant can be clearly heard above the din of Cairo’s busy streets.

I am finishing up my fourth visit here in 13 months, working with a non-profit program promoting professionalism and sustainability of Egypt’s media. I came as a teacher, but in the process became a student.

I have been reminded of the joy in working with people eager to learn and willing to consider “foreign” concepts. I have had to re-think some of the most elemental aspects of the journalism business — what do readers want? what is local news? how do you become a good leader? — in order to offer a set of building blocks for participants in my workshops.

I have discovered that while cultures are quite different, people are the same.

People want to have a good life for themselves and their families — to be safe, to have a home, to be clothed and fed.

People want a job where they can earn a decent living and get along with co-workers.

People want to do a good job — and they are willing to work hard if asked, and if they know the work is making a difference.

People are frustrated by poor management and want leaders with passion, a vision and a plan for getting it done.

People will pray — if they have faith their prayers will be answered.

 These are good reminders as I wrap up my 10 days teaching leadership and management at Cairo University as part of a new Diploma in Media Management program, designed in partnership between the university and the IREX-Media Development Program, which is funded by the U.S. government.

When I return to the states, I begin a new full-time job, as executive editor of the Springfield News-Leader, in the heart of Missouri’s Ozarks and a typical American news company trying to figure out its future.

As I put together and delivered my program at Cairo University, I culled ideas from many years of experience, from some great training programs I have attended (many with Lee Enterprises), but especially lessons learned from mentors, bosses, peers and from the many talented people I have supervised.

These are some of the key lessons I will hope to remember:

• The leader’s job is to create an environment where people can do their best work.
• When a new leader is appointed, people expect change, but they are focused on what it means to them. So, be sure people understand why we need to change — it’s primarily because our customers are changing.
• Get to know your people.
• Start by building a strong vision and mission — a shared understanding of what you are doing, why you are doing it, who are the customers you serve and how you add value for readers and the community as a whole. Help people see a dream that is bigger than themselves, then work with them to devise a plan to achieve it.
• “The essence of strategy is denial” (note: that’s not, “Da Nile”) – we cannot be all things to all people or do everything at once.
• Trust is critical. Treat others as individuals, not as pawns to be moved around. Honor your commitments. Be consistent and fair. Communicate. Share information to empower others. Then listen to their suggestions. You think they haven’t thought of most everything you have? People are more invested in their own ideas, so take time to pull the ideas out of them. And remember: “None of us is as smart as all of us, particularly when all of us are different.”
• Don’t try to be the Lone Ranger — don’t solve people’s problems for them. Develop others and delegate as much as you can once you’ve determined they are capable.
• “Everything you do trains your people.” You can’t ignore conflicts or problems — they don’t go away, they just go underground. You can’t ignore poor performance — it tells your people that excellence does not matter. You can’t ignore the need for constant communication — the rumor mill will keep going anyway.
• As a leader, you have to show up — and you can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. That does not mean doing everything or micromanaging, but execution is your responsibility. Develop what one author calls “a systematic way of exposing reality and acting on it.” Set SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based. Inspect what you expect.
• Be a good shepherd. Treat people well. Make a personal connection — and be sure to have fun at work every day.
• Manage by walking around. Reveal yourself. Don’t forget to smile. Take time to celebrate success. Take time for yourself. It will make you a better leader and a better person.
• Climb mountains daily — go for the top and push others to keep going, even when they get tired. Show some courage and share your dreams. The key to good leadership is to inspire followership.

 An old friend and former boss in Wisconsin, reciting the litany of challenges facing our old paper and the other media outlets, had a simple plea: “Do you have any words of encouragement?”

If I did not, I would not be getting back into the daily business.

It’s not entirely clear how things will shake out, but I take encouragement from the decisions made by my new company to actually add weekly papers even during the downturn — yes, without adding staff to do them, but still, it was the right move. And now that the economy is improving, we’re adding staff again.

And I am encouraged every time I talk to a young journalist, or read through another application cover letter. These journalists are eager to learn and willing to consider foreign concepts. They want to do a good job — and they are willing to work hard if asked, and if they know the work is making a difference.

We may be bruised. Our newsrooms may be smaller. But we will survive — because people everywhere are the same, and they have faith we can make things better, especially if someone leads the way.

I’m often asked about whether I have hope for the future of journalism. So when my friend, Gordon Govier, asked me to speak at a luncheon for the Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence awards, it seemed like a good forum to talk about where I see things heading.

“What’s on the other side: A call to action for the next generation of journalists” was delivered March 27 at the Midwest Journalism Conference in Bloomington, Minn.  What follows is an 1,100-word excerpt. (For a link to an audio file with the full 19-minute address, see Gordon Govier’s SPJ Region 6 blog.)

In it, I talk about the good and bad of what my generation of journalists has accomplished, lay out a vision for the forseeable future — and challenge today’s students to take up the cause that is vital to democracy and to the communities we serve.

When you consider the times in which my generation came of age, you can see the roots of today’s changes. We grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70s – a time of amazing social and technological change. Divorce and single parents became more common. The equality of women was taken more seriously. Racial issues were boiling. Cynicism grew in the era of the Vietnam War and Watergate. We grew up in the midst of a race to the moon, in the era of “Star Trek” and a time when color TVs, microwave ovens and other electronic devices became more common. Most of us were young professionals when we bought our first personal computers – and were already mid-career by the time we owned our first cell phone.

 Our generation ushered in a modern era of investigative reporting, based in the source work of Woodward and Bernstein, but expanded through the use of databases, mapping and other computer analysis that would have been unthinkable to the previous generation of journalists…. 

I would venture to say no generation of journalists has done more to raise the standards of the craft – fairness, accuracy and credibility are the banners we wave. And yet – perhaps no generation has engendered more distrust or disgust from the citizens we aim to serve.

This may be our biggest failure.

  Where we see fairness, many see bias … many readers believe that our editorial opinions and our own personal biases carry over into coverage. And if we are honest with ourselves, we know they are right – if nothing else it shows up in the stories we choose to cover and those we choose to ignore. …  

Where we see the importance of getting the facts right, many see we are failing to get the right facts. Accuracy is not just about spelling the names correctly, it’s about talking to the right people, about providing context and perspective so the picture is more complete and the coverage “rings true” to readers.

Where we hold ourselves out as the most credible sources of news, many see an aloof institution that often refuses to own up to its mistakes. Our newsrooms rarely reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our leadership is primarily still a club for white males. Too few journalists are willing to engage readers – still thinking of them in disdainful terms as uneducated or uninformed. …

These are challenges we must confront if we are to survive – if we are to get to the other side. …

 You can expect to find jobs, but not easily. …  You will need to know more about the business than previous generations – you’ll need to care deeply about the audience you are trying to serve and you’ll need to understand them. You may need to be much more entrepreneurial, perhaps starting your own web site or publication. Or consider the lifestyle of owning your own small newspaper, becoming part of the fabric of a community. It’s a good life. 

People ask whether print newspapers will survive. I believe that they will for the foreseeable future. The smaller the community, the more likely it will support a print newspaper. …

Obviously, people will be increasingly reliant on digital and mobile sources to get their “news” – getting news by the day, hour and minute, depending on its urgency and relevancy. You want to know now about a highway accident up ahead and the new technology will be able to deliver that. Your cell phone knows where you are right now and can tell others – so it’s only a matter of time before the applications let you get geo-local news that varies depending on where (and when) you are.

You already know that to succeed in this new environment you will need strong digital skills. Immediacy will be highly valued – and many reports will be short and sweet – like a tweet on Twitter.

 Some stories will grow and change throughout the day – as users interact and offer ideas or ask questions, and as more information becomes available. 

Many if not most of your stories will be more than text – you’ll be marrying them with video and audio that you’ll often do yourself, rather than relying on someone else to produce them. Reports will include maps, satellite images and graphics and tie-in to searchable databases. The best stories will be full of links – to original source materials, to related stories (by your news organization or by competitors). And instead of being a one-day phenomenon, some stories may evolve and change over time, being constantly updated by yourself and other collaborators – almost like a Wikipedia version – so that it rises to the top of search engine results and stays there as the definitive piece on the topic.

 Meanwhile, the print product will change. Increasingly, it will be the source for context –  more of a newsmagazine and knowledge resource for the community. … The paper also will be a source of entertainment and surprise – a relaxing, enjoyable experience – something you can take with you to help you with your day as a community member and consumer. 

Regardless of format, tomorrow’s journalists will need to be devoted to:

n      Quality journalism.

n      Free expression.

n      Community service.

 Print and digital products will need to connect readers to each other, to their communities and to their world. We must give them the information they need to engage as citizens of a democracy and as people curious about the world around them. A government “of the people, by the people, for the people” cannot function without credible information. 

Simply put: We must help people live better lives. …

 At its most basic, the fundamentals of good journalism remain unchanged.

We must find out things, some of which people would like to keep secret.

We must verify information we’ve learned – and understand the motives some might have for giving us information.

We must tell the truth – and that requires independence.

We must tell interesting stories in many different ways to satisfy the different needs of our audience.

We must engage with the community – to understand them and focus on the issues that matter to them. We need to foster a “culture of participation” as one of journalism’s deep thinkers, Jay Rosen, puts it.

 Non-journalists can do these things, but you stand to be uniquely capable of putting it all together in a way that people will trust and respect – and welcome into their lives. 

You can certainly see the day coming – if it isn’t already here – when people will simply feel overwhelmed by all of the information flowing at them. Much of it is disorganized if not unreliable.

 People will want someone to make sense of it all.

That person is a journalist.

That person could be you. …

Last in a series.

No. 6 — Climb Mountains Daily

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to visit 49 states and enjoyed some great national parks and wild spaces. I’m not a rock climber or back-packer, but when my best friend and I would travel, we’d always enjoy a good hike. I tended to be conservative in my choice of trails. She preferred a more challenging hike, often something that involved a substantial rise in elevation.

When I tired, she’d let me rest. We’d pack beverages and maybe a snack. I’d carry a camera to get some photos. Sometimes, I’d be ready to turn back — and she would push  me on just a little bit more than I really wanted to go. She knew I was capable of going on and, while tired of my complaining, she wouldn’t let me give up too easily.

I hated to disappoint her. And I can’t say I was ever disappointed by the reward of making the destination — whether a rock outcropping in a state park or Inspiration Point at Yosemite National Park. (For a little inspiration, here’s my photo taken at moonrise one night along that trail overlooking Yosemite Valley.)

Given the state of our industry, it seems like we have a mountain to climb — every day.

It used to be that the route would have a few hazards along the way, but you could be conservative in your choice of trails and find quite a nice reward at the end of the hike.

As a leader, you need to set your sights high and climb that mountain.

Even when times are tough, be optimistic and have a plan. Be Proactive. Believe in yourself and in others. You need to Know Your People and what they are capable of doing, but we can all benefit from having someone to push us a little bit further than we really want to go.

Show some courage. A good leader inspires followership. It helps if they know the real you, so Reveal Yourself. SMILE and have some fun everyday. It’s so easy, but really, it will make a world of difference to those around you and helps them keep moving.

Share your dreams with people. Let them know where you’re going. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. Help them imagine the future you want, even if those dreams have to be scaled back given the times.

Keep everyone going in the same direction, even if you have to pause for a few to catch up, or cajole them to move on with you. Tolerate a certain amount of complaining, but try to focus people on moving forward and on the reward at the top. If you slip up, get up quickly.
Always look for the win-win situation, so that people understand the rewards involved in making the effort. Create small wins along the way — some plateaus to reach where you’ll pause (even if briefly) to celebrate or admire how far you’ve come.

Keep the focus on what matters most: on maintaining the essentials of the business. That requires you to Know Your Customers, so you’re sure what needs to be preserved to serve them best.

And be willing to start all over again tomorrow, even when the odds seem against you.

WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING

Think about these basic questions: Why are you in this business? What (or who) inspired you to do what you do? What were some of your hopes and dreams when you first started? What are your dreams now? What mountains to you still want to climb?

Ask some of your colleagues to think about these same questions — and share your answers. You’re likely to find that many have similar answers — and that might help you all agree on which mountains to start climbing tomorrow.

TAKE A WALK

Next time you go to the vending machines, or to the bathroom, or even when you’re heading out to your car, take a couple of extra minutes to just walk around, perhaps slightly out of your way. Change up your route if you can. Go through a different part of your department or building.

And as you walk, acknowledge the people you pass. A simple “hello” and a smile will do, but something  more engaging is even better. Ask how they are doing. Ask about work. Ask about something personal. Although I know some view it as annoying or even sarcastic, I was known to just occasionally ask: “Are we having fun yet?”

DO SOMETHING FUN EVERY DAY

You need a reward, too. 

For at least five minutes every day, do something work-related that you consider pure fun. For instance, if selling is what you enjoy doing, then take five minutes to go brainstorm with a sales rep about selling a new client. If you are in the newsroom, maybe you just love to talk about story ideas, or discuss reporting techniques.

Promise yourself at least five minutes of fun. Your people will appreciate seeing you out, enjoying yourself on the job. And it will help you keep climbing that mountain.

THE SERIES

No. 1 — Know Your Customers

No. 2 — Know Your People

No. 3 — Be Proactive

No. 4 — Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

No. 5 — Reveal Yourself

No. 6 — Climb Mountains Daily

Fifth in a series.

No. 5 — Reveal Yourself

In tough times, many leaders build up a shell around themselves, not wanting to show vulnerability or fear.

But while trying to project confidence, those leaders may give people the impression of being unattached or disinterested.

In good times or bad, it’s important for you to reveal yourself to your people: to let them see the real you. I don’t mean you have to talk about your personal life all of the time, although if you’re comfortable with that, it’s good to share appropriate aspects — for instance, what you did this weekend or to talk about family, hobbies, etc. 

Let down your guard and show some depth! Chances are you got to your position because you’re a reasonably smart person and technically proficient in critical aspects of the business. Don’t hesitate to share that knowledge, but EQ (reading the emotions of others) is equally important as IQ, so pay attention to the emotional needs of your people. And some people need to know you in order to follow you.

A key to helping others understand you is being able to communicate your principles and demonstrate your ethics — and for them to see you apply those principles and ethics consistently, even in difficult situations, even when the result might be embarrassing for you or the business. 

Be humble. You might want to be a little more hands-on when times are tough, and don’t hesitate to get your hands dirty. Do some unexpected things. Show up at odd times or in places you don’t often go. Offer to help and be willing to take on some of the less glamorous jobs (like helping in the mailroom or even delivering a paper route when the press runs late). As always, deflect personal glory by giving credit to your people for any success — and taking blame on yourself when things go poorly.

Share the pain. When budgets are being cut, be sure to penalize yourself at least equally. This is a good time to ask yourself: What would stop around here if I was hit by a bus? This is one way to identify the pet projects or work that exists primarily because it was your idea. When you kill one of your own ideas, people respect your other painful decisions more.

Be careful to control what Poynter’s Jill Geisler calls your “Evil Twin.” That is, the bad side of otherwise good traits. For instance, what you might think of as having high standards, others might see as being impossible to satisfy.

Finally, be human. Find ways to let off steam. Ideally, that means having some balance in your life through recreation, exercise and outside pursuits. But when you’re disappointed with the way things are going at work, don’t be afraid to let your folks know it. Avoid anger, but discuss your concerns openly.

SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE

What jobs have you held and what is your expertise? When is the last time you just sat down with a person in your organization who holds a job you used to have?

Consider spending some time with an employee or group of employees who could benefit from your expertise. You want to be careful not to let them think you’re questioning their competency, or that the only way to do the job is the way you used to do it. But think what you could teach a new employee by just giving them a little time. And it will help others get to know you better.

NEW OUTLOOK

Block out some time on your schedule every week for something personal. I know several leaders who are especially good at protecting some exercise time in the middle of the day — for instance, a once-a-week pick-up basketball game at the Y.

Create an excuse to get out of the office “early” (meaning at a decent time) at least once a week. It could be something recreational, or a personal-improvement class, or a volunteer opportunity.

Here’s one trick: make sure the commitment involves at least one other person who is depending on you to show up (a companion, a friend or the recipients in the volunteer organization). That way, you’ll find it more difficult to cancel.

THE SERIES

No. 1 — Know Your Customers

No. 2 — Know Your People

No. 3 — Be Proactive

No. 4 — Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

No. 5 — Reveal Yourself

No. 6 — Climb Mountains Daily

Fourth in a series. 

No. 4 — Communicate, communicate, communicate

In tough times, many leaders hold things close to the vest and take the burden upon themselves, fearing the drag on morale if they share too much bad news. I refer to it as “publisher mode,” when the boss starts making executive decisions without sharing.

When we’re in trouble is precisely the time when we need our friends and family  – and it’s the same at work. Sure, there are some confidential things that you may not be able to talk about, but the list is short.

Share! No one ever made a worse decision from having too much information.

And when people don’t get the information they need, what do they do? They make it up. They put together little pieces of what they know and start guessing, often being wildly wrong (and usually negative).

You need to be honest and straightforward in your communication. NEVER LIE — if you can’t answer a question, tell people that. Be realistic, but not pessimistic.

Communicate in many forms because people process things differently. Some need to read. Others need verbal communication. E-mail is an easy way to communicate, but don’t fall into that trap. I always figured if I exchanged e-mails with someone on a topic and we’re into our second round of messages, it was time to pick up the phone or go to their office. In your organization, nothing substitutes for just walking around and talking to people — preferably in their offices (home turf is very comforting to people). Do a newsletter for employees. Have stand-up meetings in departments. Schedule a regular series of more formal presentations. Have some one-on-one sessions. Do something social.

As you communicate, tune into people’s need to figure out “what’s in it for me?”

Communication is a two-way street. A key for any leader is active listening — repeat important things back to people to be sure you’ve really heard what they said. And the best way to show you are listening is to act on what they said — do it immediately for small things and you’ll get a big reward.

Show interest in the ideas of others. Avoiding promotional leadership has always been one of my biggest challenges. One of my best bosses started most conversations with a question, even when he had a point to make. He’d ask me to explain something, or give me a chance to outline my thinking and sometimes change his mind. Seek first to understand, then to be understood, is how somebody put it.

Honestly, you think your people have no ideas how to make things better in the workplace or for your business? You really think they haven’t thought of the same things you’re thinking? If it’s their idea they are going to be more invested in the solution. So seek out their answers to problems — modify the solution slightly if you need — and you’ll get faster and better results.

Defuse tension. Conflict doesn’t get better if it is ignored. Let people know that you view respectful disagreement as expected and healthy.

Finally, praise in public and criticize in private. Give lots of praise, but be absolutely sincere. Not just “attaboys.” One way to show sincerity is to be specific about why you thought something was good or great.

HIT THE RESET BUTTON

Think back to when you were the new boss. For most, it’s a time of intense study and familiarization. You’re learning about the job, perhaps learning about a new market, and usually spending a lot of time getting to know your colleagues and direct reports. You ask a lot of questions and when something strikes you as odd, you ask “why do we do it that way?”

Hit the reset button. Pretend you are new to the job. Go out and talk to people — outside and inside the business. Maybe do it systematically, in one-on-one sessions or small groups. Ask a lot of open-ended questions, like:

• What’s the best thing we’ve done in the last year?
• In hindsight, what should we have done differently?
• What could we do to improve in the year ahead?
• What’s one thing I could do to make your job better?

And when something strikes you as odd, ask: “Why do we do it that way?”

TAKE NOTE

Grab a piece of paper or a note card and write (by hand) to one of your direct reports. Tell them how much you appreciated their work on a recent project. Be specific in your praise — so they know why it was good or how it contributed to the overall success.

How much do you want to bet that they share this note with others and keep it in their desk drawer? Do you have notes like this that your boss sent to you?

THE SERIES

No. 1 — Know Your Customers

No. 2 — Know Your People

No. 3 — Be Proactive

No. 4 — Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

No. 5 — Reveal Yourself

No. 6 — Climb Mountains Daily

Third in a series.

No. 3 — Be Proactive

Here’s a simple question: What’s your plan? And if you have a plan, how many people know it?

We get so busy dealing with the daily fire drill that sometimes we fail to develop a plan, or keep track of the one we have.

A leader needs an agenda with clear, public objectives — where you’re going and what it will take to get there. Put first things first. Everything cannot be a priority. Begin with the end in mind and have some clear mileposts marked along the way. Designate responsibility for pieces of the plan and track performance against some deadlines.

Think before you act — but please act! Have a sense of urgency. Don’t let things slide. Analyze and confront issues. Take calculated risks. Be aggressive.

Solve problems with people, not for them. The surest sign of poor leadership is if you are always fixing other people’s problems. Figure out what the obstacles are to achieving success and do your best to remove those obstacles. But otherwise, set high expectations and hold people accountable.

That means keeping yourself organized, too. If you easily lose track of things, some people will test your resolve. I always had a “two-mention rule.” If my boss mentioned something to me a second time, I got it done, because I didn’t want him or her to mention it a third time. I try to enforce that rule with direct reports, but you’ll never get to the second mention if you lose track of things. (Sometimes, though, you should recognize the idea wasn’t really that important or urgent, and tell the employee to forget it — or deliberately decide not to mention it again.)

Keep an eye on what others are doing — your competitors and your colleagues, locally, nationally and internationally. Copy or adapt the best ideas quickly. Share ideas with your team and get their feedback.

Look for new friends and partners. When you are developing a plan, think about others in your community who might have similar interests. Perhaps you can be more successful together than you can be separately.

Finally, make tough times work for you. Do things that needed to be done anyway — like cutting out some perks that were nice but not necessary. And focus on poor performers when making cutbacks. The remaining employees will (quietly) thank you for recognizing the people who are not carrying their own weight.

WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING

Run a yellow light. Seriously. Next time you get the chance, run a yellow light (well, please do it safely!).

Feel the exhiliration that comes with accelerating through the intersection and taking a chance? It’s certainly more efficient than all that starting and stopping, and oftentimes, the little burst pushes you along so if all the lights are timed right, you carry through and get to your destination faster.

Good leaders take chances. Calculated risks usually. Sometimes they get burned — often when they take too many chances. Next time you’re approaching an intersection at work and the light starts to change, accelerate! My advice: run one yellow light every day.

NEW OUTLOOK

While I’m sure many of you read Poynter’s Romenesko on a daily basis, consider branching out, particularly to get some idea of what’s happening overseas. For instance, I currently get a daily e-mail from IFRA, a global research and service organization to the industry. The e-mail includes simple links to major stories and blogs about U.S., U.K. and other media, primarily in Europe. To subscribe, send a message to — mailto:executivenews@ifra.com?subject=subscribe_executive.

A relatively new web site that I am enjoying comes from INMA, the International Newsmedia Marketing Association. INMA also  a great site, but it requires a pricey membership ($595 per year) to gain access to all of its materials. The new free site is called forum4editors — http://forum4editors.com/ — but don’t let the name fool you if you’re not in the newsroom. It contains great links to marketing and sales ideas from around the world. Check it out. I bet you’ll end up spending a lot of time looking around.

THE SERIES

No. 1 — Know Your Customers

No. 2 — Know Your People

No. 3 — Be Proactive

No. 4 — Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

No. 5 — Reveal Yourself

No. 6 — Climb Mountains Daily

Second in a series.

No. 2 — Know Your People

Very few people come to work every day planning to do a bad job. The leader’s job is really to help people succeed, and that starts with knowing them.

Your job is to build a coalition of the willing — and able. Sometimes, you have people who are perfectly willing, but not capable. (Do what you can to help them become capable.) Other times, you have people who are perfectly capable, but not willing. (Usually it’s because they don’t share the vision for what you’re trying to accomplish. Do what you can to help them understand and buy into the vision).

Start by honestly assessing the talent level of your people and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Let them know where they stand. Align people with jobs where they can succeed — and you’ll be able to increase the number of people who are taking responsibility for making change and making the company successful.

You need to be honest with people — and sometimes that means helping them find success elsewhere. As resources tighten, it’s more important than ever to be sure that every employee is a good fit for the needs of the organization. Enough with the buyouts already — making conscious decisions about who should go and poor performers should go first. (Of course, treat them fairly and humanely, including severance.)

Commit time and resources to grow and develop talent at all levels. With tight training budgets, provide more opportunity for cross-training, asking one employee to help another learn new skills. Invest in the workforce of the future by emphasizing digital skills. Promote diversity and a positive workplace climate that welcomes people of all backgrounds.

Finally, be a good shepherd. Treat everyone fairly, but that does not mean treating everyone the same. Instead, find a way to treat everyone special — learn about them, their families and their interests.

WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING

During the commute to work, think about the top people in your department or organization. Do they know how you view their importance? Seek them out today (don’t wait!) and give them some “special love” by just telling them how much you appreciate their work. Or find a small way to reward them for their efforts.

During the commute home, think about the poorest performers in your department or organization. Do they know where they stand? Commit to letting them know what they need to do to improve — and begin working on moving them out.

NEW OUTLOOK

Have Human Resources provide you with a list of birthdays for all of your direct reports. Put those dates on your Outlook calendar. If you can, make a lunch date on or around the date. If not, then just commit to sending a simple card or a hand-written note, or at least an e-mail, to acknowledge the date. (My birthday is March 8, so if you like this idea, make a note to send me an e-mail then and let me know how things are going for you.) 

THE SERIES

No. 1 — Know Your Customers

No. 2 — Know Your People

No. 3 — Be Proactive

No. 4 — Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

No. 5 — Reveal Yourself

No. 6 — Climb Mountains Daily

First in a series.

No. 1 — Know Your Customers

Too often we forget the most important reason we’re in business: to serve our customers – our readers, our advertisers and our communities.

Q. I just blew up at my city editor. A combination of factors led up to it, but it was mostly a result of hearing too many excuses for why things can’t be done or achieved. I know I was right on the principle, but handled it wrong. Should I do a sincere mea culpa or let it rest? Sometimes I worry I’m too nice — maybe it’s best to let them squirm.

A. City editors are often are the heart and soul of the local news operation. As a former city editor myself, I’ve always believed the editor and city editor should have a special relationship — not quite like being married, but almost.

So, my advice is to think of it like you would a fight with your spouse. If this quarrel is something you would get divorced over, then let the city editor squirm. Otherwise, you probably don’t want to end the day mad. Explain why you boiled over and apologize for handling it poorly — but don’t budge on the principle.

An old friend of mine — one of the nicest guys I know — thinks the key with newsroom people is to be firm. He says: “You can be as nice as you like as long as folks know what’s non-negotiable with you.”

That seems sensible to me. Stand on principle, but a spoonful of sugar …

Q. The Racine Journal Times took heat recently for disclosing the names of elderly siblings who gave $10 million for the construction of a new village hall and other buildings, but had wished to remain anonymous. What would you have done?

A. Sometimes, it’s easier to be a consultant than to be a newspaper editor. Steve Lovejoy, the editor of The Journal Times, was one of my mentors as a rookie reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison. He helped me overcome an error-prone time and taught me more about utility rate-setting than most people want to know.

Steve explained his rationale in the story, saying that the public interest outweighed the privacy concerns of the brother and sister. The relocation of the village hall has been a contentious local issue and was a factor in pending elections. Steve rightly pointed out his concern that voters might make a decision based on incomplete information if the paper had withheld the names. The story was published four days before the election.

This is a doozy for journalism ethics classes, a classic conflict between the public interest and the principle of minimizing harm.

I suppose it’s an easy one for many journalists who have never sat in the editor’s chair. The black-and-white answer is that newspapers name names — we’re frequently asked to withhold names in everything from divorce listings to arrest reports.

But being an editor is more of an art than a science, particularly so for editors of community newspapers, where offending the sensibilities of your readers can easily send the paper into a spiral. So this was not an easy call. 

The paper was absolutely right to seek out the names of the donors. In tricky situations, don’t talk yourself out of even doing the reporting — you need to know as much as possible before making the decision.

And it appears the paper tried to wait them out a bit, to see if they would change their minds about publicly disclosing their generosity. The story was published 10 days after the siblings wrote a letter to the paper, explaining their donation but declining to be interviewed.

Maybe you could argue about whether they gave them enough time. Maybe some intermediary could have convinced them to come forward and agree to a lengthier interview so they could bask in the limelight they so richly deserve.

But I suspect Steve was right in thinking that was never going to happen, and faced with an election deadline, he made the call to run the story.

I think he made the right call, but it will cost him some readers. Still, it may gain him respect among those forces who prefer to do the public’s business in the shadows.

If facing a similar dilemma, ask yourself this: How would I react if one of my competitors ran the names? If you the courage of your convictions say you would withhold the names even in this circumstance, then you’ve probably made the call that is right for you and your paper.

It’s decisions like these that make it fun to be a newspaper editor – instead of a consultant.