This image, according to Jill Geisler, head of the Leadership and Management group leader at the Poynter Institute, illustrates how leaders see the big picture and get their teams involved and invested in their work.
In terms of newsroom management, it's important to strive toward being a democratic leader instead of a controlling leader, said Marcy McGinnis, a former senior vice president for news coverage at CBS News. Democratic leaders possess integrity and inspire team members, she said, as opposed to controlling leaders, who can be inefficient and unfair.
Learning the difference between these styles of leadership is key to maximizing productivity. Here's a comparison from McGinnis to help make sure you’re effectively managing your newsroom to achieve the ultimate result: motivated employees who add just the right notes to the symphony.
Controlling
* Has absolute power
* Safeguards info
* Rules by fear
* Demands respect
* Takes personal credit, even for team accomplishments
* Supervises closely; micro manages
* Involved in all – even trivial – decisions
Democratic
* Has power but listens
* Shares info
* Rules by consensus
* Earns respect
* Shares success and gives credit where due
* Trusts team and relies on expertise of individuals
* Effectively delegates
This article was based on workshops conducted by Marcy McGinnis, a former senior vice president for news coverage at CBS News, and Jill Geisler, Leadership and Management Group Leader at the Poynter Institute, for the 2007 International Women's Media Foundation U.S. Leadership Institute in Chicago. For more information on the next leadership institute, visit www.iwmf.org/programs/leadership.