What makes a great SE

[Riddick]

Start by saying, I hate Kobe Bryant. But I feel like I'm the Kobe Bryant (I know it's a stretch) of my sports staff. I've received numerous writing awards, including an APSE last year. Me. Me. Me.
But I don't feel as though I'm making my team better.
What makes a great SE? What things should I be doing to make my section and my staff reach their full potential?

 

[Ace]

Share the rock.

 

[spnited]

Start by saying, I hate Kobe Bryant. But I feel like I'm the Kobe Bryant (I know it's a stretch) of my sports staff. I've received numerous writing awards, including an APSE last year. Me. Me. Me.

You could start with a little less ME ME ME.

Your APSE has established your greatness, now get over it.
Maybe it's time to work with whatever staff you have about what they're doing and what your aims for the department and section are.

 

[Riddick]

Dude, I'm over it. That's why I'm asking for help here. I added the ME, ME, ME more as an example of how much I hate Kobe than how I see myself.
I won't the sports section to win a Triple Crown. I want my staff to take things to the next level.
Just struggling with a way to do it.

 

[spnited]

Seriously, maybe you have to layout specific goals for the department in general and each guy in particular. Who does what best? Who needs to pick it up a little here and there? What are out strengths that we should build on, our weaknesses that we need to work on?

This is where we want to go as a department, as a section ... let's work on the way, among all of us, to get there.

 

[Riddick]

Thanks. That's very helpful.

 

[EE94]

Be inclusive.
If you can manage it, take your staff - or if its large, a representative group - and go off-site for brainstorm, chin-wag session.
Put all things on the table - what do we do right, what do we do wrong, what should we be doing.
You'll be surprised at problems you didn't know existed, and with solutions that are offered.
Then, like Spirited said, figure out some projects and other things your department can work on.
Warning - go into a meeting like that with an agenda and run it like a meeting chairman. Dont do all the talking. Let the others talk. Take notes.
Come to some consensus. Don't leave without specific goals or whatever laid out.
And don't include alchohol. (though offering to buy a round afterward is always good. Be amazed at how much goodwill a beer buys.)
I've done a few. Got a hotel room - one of those mini-conference rooms, ordered in morning coffee and lunch, and about nine of us did about nine hours.
Was good on many levels.

 

[buckweaver]

Fight for your guys.

If you have my back, I will run through the proverbial brick wall for you.

 

[SixToe]

Fight for your guys.

If you have my back, I will run through the proverbial brick wall for you.

Where applicable, definitely do this and let your staff know.

Holing up in an off-site location for a pow-wow is a good idea, too, as long as the discussion doesn't become a ***** session and you can all leave with constructive ideas.

 

[HejiraHenry]

Spirited is on to something.

Anyway, don't ask me, I've been sitting in this seat for about 10 months and I don't think I really felt like the SE untl the last few weeks.

But I do think the fact you're asking the question is a very good sign.

I'm lucky to have good writers on staff so I don't have the pressure to overwork myself on that side. I can spend more time as a manager, and tackling longer term planning issues.

 

[Ace]

The most respected and successful sports editors are confident in their abilities and give opportunities to their employees and groom them for better things.

 

[Walter Burns]

I've been a sports editor for nearly two years now. This is what I try to do:
1. Let my reporters do their jobs. Deflect any **** from above so they can do their thing.
2. Try not to micromanage too much. I have a staff of one writer, and I told him that as long as he keeps generating copy and puts in his 40 a week, I don't care if it's here or at home.
3. Go beyond gamers. You can get a trained monkey to write gamers. What makes a sports section stand out is enterprise, features, columns, the stuff that people can't get anywhere else.
That's what I try to do. Our jobs are supposed to be fun, and I know that if the people who work for me are having fun, they'll be better.

 

[chazp]

A good SE will offer to pay for all after deadline brews! Your staff will be forever loyal.

 

[e4]

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1008&SiteId=cbmsnhp41008&sc_extcmp=JS_1008_home1&GT1=9965&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=f58d64aa7f9b4bbfa57d0f8422c2f2b1-231475870-JA-5

it's not about being "the boss" but about leadership

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1008&SiteId=cbmsnhp41008&sc_extcmp=JS_1008_home1&GT1=9965&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=f58d64aa7f9b4bbfa57d0f8422c2f2b1-231475870-JA-5

it's not about being "the boss" but about leadership

That's actually pretty good. I kind of groaned at first, but it's true. I'd add:

The biggest thing with me is don't ever lie. Say you don't know. Say you can't tell me. Say it's none of my ****ing business. But lie and I lose all respect for you permanently, I just consider it unmanly even if you use a tough-guy voice. Now most SEs I've encountered have a backbone and tell you the truth. Those who didn't, I had absolutely no use for them.

You can impose goals from on high and sometimes you have no choice, your boss has made his or her decree and you in turn have to decree that to others. But you'll get better cooperation if you care almost as much about your people's career goals and you try to help them get where they want to be. I was interviewing to be editor of a small daily about five years ago and I mentioned to the publisher that I wouldn't be doing my job if we didn't have high turnover, I wanted people to go on to larger papers. He agreed, saying, "I am aware of our place in the food chain, of course." Yet so often managers seem to resent people leaving instead of taking pride that their staff is in demand.

 

[John]

Another excellent post by Frank. Well done.

 

[shotglass]

On the one hand, don't micromanage. I wholly agree with that.

But on the other hand ... know what's going on, as much as you can. Know enough about each beat so that you can understand what the beat writer's telling you and lead him/her in the right direction.

Delegate, but don't let that keep you from being a visible front for the department. Don't get lost behind the pile of papers.

 

[Cadet]

Be organized. It's your job to be the department's administrator, so you need to stay on top of paperwork, HR crap, schedules, budgets, etc.

 

[Willie-Butch]

1. Back your guys up no matter what. (plagarism not withstanding)
2. Don't ever, EVER throw a member of your staff under a bus. Not even to a pissant reader who calls to complain about something. Always be the guy that takes it for the team.
3. Don't lie.
4. Plan, plan, plan. Always be organized.
5. Don't ever pass the tab.

 

[Sxysprtswrtr]

Don't leave at 5:01 p.m. while your staff is laboring away.
Stay on top of the budgets.
Be my friend outside of work, but when we're in the office, I want to know you mean business and you that you are looking out for my best intentions as well as the section's.