Work smarter, not harder

[printdust]

Thought of an interesting thread here and I hope we can all benefit from sharing with one another.

Most of us have stretched resources. We're approaching basketball with only one person to take calls, meaning a some news copy editor is going to have to help take lines from area high school basketball. We have 30 teams, not to mention several area small colleges, two writers and in basketball, two stringers. Department head serves as a writer. We have three must-cover high school teams, arguably four. None of the stringers can work on the desk. So we're scrapping linescores and will take leading scorers for both teams and one other highlight, cutting call-in time to about 1 minute per coach. We'll take one designated game from the desk and blow it up about six inches. I'm not sure this will work; I'm tempted to say we should bring one regular staffer (the SE) in on the desk, but if we do that, they'll probably take the news person away and we'll be one person short than we were. But what can you do?

Anyway, it's a start. Let's share what your department has done to work smarter, not harder (or longer). Since apples aren't oranges, share your circulation size and coverage responsibilities when you post. And if you have suggestions for a previous post, please do so.

I hope this generates some good ideas for everyone....I figure most of you are missing part of your asses from working as hard as you are.

 

[pallister]

"Work smarter" = corporate speak nonsense.

It's also condescending to tell a group of hard-working people that they're not working "smart" enough.

 

[bigpern23]

"Work smarter" = corporate speak nonsense.

It's also condescending to tell a group of hard-working people that they're not working "smart" enough.

Who pissed in your corn flakes? I think the idea of the thread is to give everyone some hints to things we can all do to make sure we get the most out of our time. Perhaps people will contribute ideas others haven't thought of. Clearly, you know everything there is to know about how to maximize your efficiency, so this thread is probably worthless to you, but if you'd like to give others ideas instead of getting uppity, I'm sure everyone would appreciate it.

 

[pallister]

Hey, if you feel comfortable telling the people you supervise, in the midst of waning resources and everyone already picking up the slack along the way, that they need to work "smarter," by all means, knock yourself out.

 

[printdust]

"Work smarter" = corporate speak nonsense.

It's also condescending to tell a group of hard-working people that they're not working "smart" enough.

Actually, it's to help overworked staffs maintain excellence without watching one of their own collapse dead on the floor due to overwhelming demands and decreasing resources.

**** in the toilet, not on your flakes.

You are definitely overstressed.

 

[printdust]

Hey, if you feel comfortable telling the people you supervise, in the midst of waning resources and everyone already picking up the slack along the way, that they need to work "smarter," by all means, knock yourself out.

That's what your publisher is telling you, isn't it?

 

[pallister]

When any staff loses resources, the people left have to work harder; there's no way around it. So to tell such a group that they don't have to work harder, but instead they can just work "smarter," is a lie, no matter how good the mantra may look on a mission statement.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

When any staff loses resources, the people left have to work harder; there's no way around it. So to tell such a group that they don't have to work harder, but instead they can just work "smarter," is a lie, no matter how good the mantra may look on a mission statement.

Every big-time exec I had to deal with who ever reeled out the "work smarter" line was (a) wholly out of his depth, and (b) didn't last five years in his position. You results may vary, but I've seen enough.

 

[wickedwritah]

"Work smarter" is totally disrespectful toward the staffers who remain. It's as if they were dumbasses beforehand.

Work more efficiently, if that's what you want, fine. Just don't ***** when the desk lets more stuff through because a copy editor is reading six extra stories each night.

 

[pallister]

Work smarter" is totally disrespectful toward the staffers who remain. It's as if they were dumbasses beforehand.

Work more efficiently, if that's what you want, fine. Just don't ***** when the desk lets more stuff through because a copy editor is reading six extra stories each night.

Exactly.

 

[Some Guy]

Could we stop moaning about semantics and possibly, you know, answer the question the original poster posed? I'm sure he/she meant no offense.

 

[printdust]

**** no. That **** just proves how ****ed the industry is.

These people prove it by their bitter ****.

So you're going to work harder, add to your negative attitude, and let the last man standing keep his job. No ****ing creativity here like in other professions. Salespeople used to have to make face-to-face contact with clients. They work smarter through use of technology.

But journalists? As for this example, **** no.

You people are some of the most truly ignorant pieces of dung on the planet. Good luck in your profession and make that $10 an hour stretch far.

 

[printdust]

Oh, and I'm sorry I even brought the issue up.

 

[ARD]

Learn more about your paper's software -- a few shortcut keys; macros if they're available. I'm always amazed at how few people take advantage of stuff like this.

 

[fishwrapper]

This reminds me of a wonderful story:

In the beginning was the Plan and then came the Assumption.

And the Assumptions were without form, and the Plan was completely without substance, and darkness was upon the faces of the workers.

And they spoke amongst themselves saying, “It is a crock of ****, and it stinketh.”

And the workers went unto their supervisors and sayeth, “It is a pail of dung and none may abide the odor thereof.”

And the supervisors went unto their managers and sayeth unto them, “It is a container of excrement and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it.”

And the managers went unto their directors and sayeth, “It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength.”

And the directors spoke among themselves saying to one another, “It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong.”

And the directors went unto their vice presidents to sayeth unto them, “It promotes growth and is very powerful.”

And the vice presidents went unto the president and sayeth unto him, “This new plan will actively promote the growth and efficiency of this company, and these areas in particular.” And the president looked upon the Plan, and saw that it was good.

And the Plan became Policy

And this is how **** Happens.

 

[doctor x]

I think 'Work smarter, not harder' has a cousin -- 'Doing more with less.'

 

[Joe Williams]

printdust, I think people here are just ground down by all the crap and jargon pushed on them from scared and cheap-ass bosses. That "work smarter" stuff is a buzzword, insulting on its face, and not likely to trigger responses about creativity and shortcuts. Responding seriously makes some of us feel like enablers of the horsebleep managers that sing that song.

 

[printdust]

Hey, I think that stuff's crap just like anyone else.

But a good department leader wants to find ways to ease the stress as it shows on his staff, their families, his own family, etc. Another buzz phrase is that we're supposed to work to live, not live to work. Or is that just for top brass assholes?

 

[DanOregon]

Cut the teams you cover. Cut what you do. I'm tired of managers cutting resources with the expectations that staff will continue to make-up the resource shortfall. Have the manager sit in on a game night so he understands the situation. I was watching Band of Brothers this weekend and I realized the problem with the biz is its being led by too many Sobels' and not enough **** Winters'.

 

[wild_will]

So nobody is gonna share their ideas?