"Be kind. To be clear, I'm not talking about being nice or sweet or sunny (personality traits I've rarely been accused of having). I mean you need to treat your colleagues with respect and allow them to keep their dignity, even in situations where you have to say hard things. Journalism is difficult and stressful enough work as it is; you don't need to demean others."
"Keep on learning. When I first got into the business, most journalists could be successful by doing one or two things really well. With the rapid pace of change, that's not possible any more. Be ready to continuously learn something new, whether it's a new tech tool, a new beat or a new approach to audience engagement. Listen carefully, be open-minded and be a lifelong student - and be ready for whatever's next. Put another way: Embrace change, because the only constant is change."
"Find a mentor and be a mentor. The beauty of most newsrooms, and the industry as a whole, is there are many generous people who want to help you. Sometimes you have to work to find us, but we are here. Also, even if you're new in your career, you're never too young or inexperienced to serve as a mentor."
Treat colleagues with respect and preserve their dignity, even when delivering necessary criticism. Address problems and problematic behavior directly and promptly rather than letting issues slide. Combine directness with kindness when having difficult conversations. Be prepared to learn continuously by adopting new tools, beats, and audience strategies as the industry changes. Remain open-minded, listen carefully, and embrace change as a constant. Seek out mentors for guidance and support, and serve as a mentor to others regardless of career stage. Cultivate adaptability, generosity, and proactive communication to thrive in modern newsrooms.
Read at Poynter
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]