Your successor

I left the newspaper side of the business for the SID world a year ago, and I'm perfectly happy with the move. But I also still get my former paper at the house (8-10K circ) and I tend to keep an eye on what is covered and how it is covered, compared to what I used to do.

Clearly, my successor -- a guy I know well and like very much -- has had a tough deal with the change. It's a Paxton paper (enough said), has had pagination taken from him for the hubs, horrible deadlines and there's been a change in leadership. But I still see things done that I would've been crushed for had I done it that way (or not at all -- Little League All-Stars, among them). I'm not bagging on the guy, because I know what he's up against. But it got me to thinking, what do y'all think of the people who have come after you when you left your gig?

 

I mostly just sit around thinking about how much better I am than my predecessor.

 

It's not something I give much thought to. I have always tried to be helpful in those situations and sometimes that was welcomed and sometimes not.

One of my successors, at a long-defunct weekly in my hometown, now runs a high-profile NASCAR track and is sometimes discussed, perhaps half-seriously, as a possible future candidate for governor in his state. Obviously he was on a different career curve than me.

Neither of the two people who succeeded me in jobs where my departure was, um, less than voluntary went on to any notable successes of their own. This does not entirely displease me.

 

These days, most of us journalists won't even have a successor to lord over.

 

A few years back I quit my job as editor of a weekly to take care of my mom in her final months. At the same time, I started up my freelance business. My old boss hired a guy with zero writing experience to replace me. I gave the guy tips and pointers. Initially he was very appreciative since he was new both to the area and to writing in general. He would ask for critiques and I would give them. He found some money to throw my way for some freelance work. All things considered, he seemed to be doing pretty well I thought.
Then one day he changed. He made absurd accusations that I was undermining him and spreading vicious lies about him behind his back. All I can figure is the stress caught up to him. I calmly responded in detail to each of his accusations and CC'd his boss (which he had done in his initial outburst). He sent a short e-mail thanking me and stating this was all behind us. He left shortly after that.

 

The paper is not your concern any more. Unless he/she asks, keep your mouth shut. It's time to cut the cord and move on.

 

I also have been doing this.

But at my college paper, the sports editor after me yucked it up big time. It was embarrassing.

 

The guy I replaced at my first job is an NFL beat guy now. Couldn't even tell you who replaced me when I left.

At my second job, I replaced one hell of a nice guy who may or may not hang around these parts. Someone who, unfortunately, doesn't know the difference between Chinese and Japanese beers.

 

The guy who replaced me at my first job is a tool (Hi, Bob Slydell!)
My second job, they didn't replace me.
Third job, I have no idea. They might have, but they might not.

 

What a hack.

(Hi, Bob! )

 

The fact of the matter is, no one will ever do your job better than you did ... even if they actually do. It's only a natural response from your ego.

I've been on both sides of the equation. At the newspaper where I spent most of my career, I was lucky enough to get promoted every 18 months or so. The people who came in behind me somehow never lived up to the grand legacy I left behind.

That's patently untrue, of course. Some actually did the job better than I did, because they had more of a passion for the role than I did. But I guess that's the sign of a good boss -- bringing in good people to replace you.

On the other hand, at the last paper where I worked before leaving the business, I was hired from the outside to replace a sports editor who had been promoted to managing editor. His title probably should have been Micromanaging Editor, at least where I was concerned. He and I never saw eye to eye on news judgment, although I do like him personally, so that situation didn't last long. I left after 10 months to take a job at a magazine ...

... and, to be honest with you, I never gave a second thought about how my replacement did his job.

 

Kid who replaced me got canned for making up quotes!