Leadership:
As leaders, we acknowledge that our job is never quite done. Aside from our own journalism publications, we support our staff members, ensuring they receive the encouragement and guidance needed to accomplish their journalistic goals in accordance with our publication's vision:
"Through the broadening of our academic and journalistic horizons, we continue to enthusiastically cover a wide variety of topics and opinions to promote inclusiveness and staff integrity. We actively work towards sustaining a highly communicative staff and leadership team to maintain a comfortable and open-minded work environment."
Alongside the rest of The Cougar Chronicle leadership staff, I endeavor to create a welcoming environment for all staff members, where feeling encouraged and motivated is a constant norm and where leadership staff are not only approachable but integrated into the general staff. In a continuous cycle of guidance, feedback, and improvement, I strive to better the environment of our newsroom, and in turn, the quality of our publication - or perhaps, vice versa. This incredible opportunity to lead a staff of such great talent and potential has instilled a number of lessons and values within me, both as a person and as a journalist.
Lessons in Leadership:
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Communication is key
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Finding opportunities to communicate expectations and feedback with staff members is essential building trust, establishing connections, and guaranteeing a smooth publication cycle.
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Following a particularly challenging first semester in which we struggled to balance consistent web publication with quality print magazine production, I - alongside our Assistant Editor - had a staff meeting to reiterate our expectations of all staff members, from following through on journalistic endeavors to respecting the time and space of peers.
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Kindness is never unappreciated or the wrong route to take
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One thing I have come to realize over the course of my leadership experience is that kindness does not equate to leniency. I can practice active compassion and care for our staff members while also upholding high standards and expectations. Treating everyone with respect can further encourage, rather than discourage, staffers to follow leaders' guidance.
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Knowledge and expertise is important, but so is honesty and transparency
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Knowing answers to staffers' questions - whether about writing style, how to upload a photo, or what questions to ask their sources - is in my job description as a leader, and helps the gears of a publication cycle spin more smoothly.
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However, when I am unsure of the proper response, I let them know. Instead of providing potentially incorrect information, I work through it with them together - this way, we both discover the answer, and we each get practice in journalistic problem-solving and critical thinking.
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From attending leadership sessions at summer WJEA conferences (left) to participating in weekly leadership meetings to ensure we are on track (below), maintaining a culture of accountability and improvement in our leadership staff is a core tenet of working up the Cougar Chronicle leadership ladder.
