Congratulations! You’ve gotten your first editor job!
Do you feel prepared?
Chances are the answer is no. I know, because I’ve been there.
Newsrooms are historically ill equipped at preparing new editors for their new responsibilities, which include but are not limited to:
- Editing
- Coaching
- Planning
- Leading meetings
- Hiring
- Managing conflict
- Managing your bosses
- Listening
- Advising
And this was all before a pandemic hit and sent us to remote work, which brings a different set of challenges.
In addition, your performance is now tied to the performance of your team members. You’re no longer the reporter responsible for your own productivity. You suddenly get asked all the questions. That scared me. A lot.
And I’m here to say this is perfectly normal!
You don’t have to have all the answers just because you have the title. You do have to trust yourself and let go of your ego and lean on others. And be patient — with yourself and others.
Here are three things I would’ve liked to have known when I started my first editor job in 2006.
1. What works for you doesn’t work for everyone.
Do you live by your spreadsheet or daily checklist? Do you keep your to-do list in your head? Do you prefer to talk in person or via text?
My first editor job was for a small team of four (including myself). We had our own corner of the newsroom, and we were not more than an arm’s length from one another. I thought the most efficient thing would be to talk out loud, as we were so physically close. I soon learned that one of my team members would be more responsive if I sent her an email than if I publicly asked her a question.
I get this now; I didn’t then.
People have different comfort levels when processing or speaking. The key is to learn what works for individual team members and start there.
You can set expectations for when you want group input, but if you use only one communication style, you will be leaving someone out.
2. Be OK with saying I don’t know.
You’re the boss now, so yes, you will have to make a lot of decisions. Some will come easy, many will not. Don’t feel compelled to have an immediate answer if it doesn’t involve a legal issue or a deadline!
It’s OK to say you need some time. The important thing is that you listen to a concern or question and then commit to having a response. But do not let more than two weeks go by without revisiting the issue.
3. Be the boss you want to have.
Think about the kind of support that would help you excel, make your job easier, show that you are appreciated. Do that for your team.
I don’t do tough love (read: no yelling), but I do have expectations. And if expectations are not met, I will follow up to find out why.
When you walk this path, you’ll also improve yourself!
For example: I’m an “everything is in my head” kind of person (see #1). I have often started the year with a monthly planner with the best of intentions. By February, I forget to fill it out.
Keeping things in my head, though, doesn’t make work easier for my team members.
So through the years, I have learned to be more organized, to clearly plan for my team, to communicate better (and it’s a work in progress). I am forever thankful to the people who have (patiently) taught me to do so.
I hope these principles will help you on your journey as a manager — in a newsroom or elsewhere. Writing them down reminds me how often I still use them every day.
I grew to love being a manager because I loved seeing my team succeed. I wish that for you, too.
If you like this essay, please send me an email with what resonated with you! I plan to keep writing on this topic, so if there is anything you want to hear more about, let me know at thekatluco@gmail.com.
Kathy Lu is the digital and social media editor at America Amplified, a public media community engagement journalism initiative based in Kansas City, Missouri. She has more than two decades of experience in journalism, at The Kansas City Star and The Roanoke (Va.) Times.
