How to work around your bosses weaknesses

No one is perfect. That can be hard to deal with when relating to the boss, especially when you have to make up for that person’s weaknesses every day. But there are ways around some tendencies that can make the working relationship easier to take. Let’s delve into some common weaknesses and talk work arounds.

Boss #1: Easily overwhelmed

One of the most frustrating things to deal with is the boss that’s easily overwhelmed. Frankly, working in TV news is overwhelming all the time. Then, to cap it off, you get a boss that’s not cutting it. The best thing you can do is avoid running to this person with your own issues, unless they are crucial for the newscast. Basically, this is not the boss to brainstorm with if you hit a dead end and need to go in a new direction on a story. This is not the manager to talk with about rundown scenarios. When breaking news hits, this is not the manager you ask for help if you are in the weeds. You come to this person with legal questions and potential liability issues. Otherwise, you need to call an assignment editor or producer first and ask if the person is slamming before you talk any other scenarios. No sense in calling and getting yelled at and told to figure it out when this person is at maximum capacity. If you are really in a bind call a manager that tends to be less busy that time of day. Just explain that the person you usually call is slamming. The two managers can hash it out later. At least you can get your work done in peace.

Boss #2: Panic monger

The panic monger is another interesting manager to deal with. Over time I learned that this is not the same as the easily overwhelmed type. This person lives on the adrenaline rush of panicking constantly. This is the manager you call when you need to get a piece edited, fed in or to legal and it’s not happening in a timely manner. This person will take on the request then annoy the hell out of whomever necessary to get it done. This is a good thing, unless you are the one “slacking” over what needs to get done. If you are getting barraged with calls the best thing to do is give the panic monger something tangible to hold onto. “I can get you that in 30 minutes.” Or perhaps: “I have 5 more calls to make before I can answer your question.” This usually helps the panic monger calm down a bit, so you can actually get the task done. Another option is to have the panic monger help you with the task. Sometimes I would say: “I am too slammed to answer that right now, but if you want to help me get the c block written quickly, I can make that my next priority.” Often the panic monger will dive in, because he/she desperately wants their task handled.

Boss #3: Super moody

Ah, pick a mood any mood. Two big things to keep in mind: Moods change and there often is a pattern or trigger that sets the moods off. Once you understand the mood will change, it is easier to blow it off when you are snapped at or given a lecture seemingly out of left field. Just sit through it then move on. See if the sentiment is repeated when Mr. or Ms. “Super Moody” is calmer. Then it’s clear you need to take notice.

Stop and think about it. Do you get chewed out or lectured at the same time every day? Is it only on Tuesday’s right after management meetings? Often you are just the whipping post. Take the lecture with a grain of salt, wait until the person is calmer then ask for a follow up conversation to make sure you are clear on what the manager needs from you. Time and time again, I had moody managers say: “I said that? No, you are fine.” While annoying, at least I knew for sure I was not in trouble or not performing to expectation.

Boss #4: Hot tempered

Some managers are more than moody. They are hot tempered and need anger management. Screamers, belittlers, bullies: No fun! Screamers, unfortunately, are common in this industry. (Check out Stop the Screaming for more on how to handle that lovely personality trait.) As for the be-littler and bully types, I had the best luck standing up to them. I would try one on one first. If that did not work, then I stood up for myself in front of a small group. Yes, this is a bit risky but if you can’t take their crap anymore it can be worth it. Bullies fear being bullied and they usually back down.

Boss #5: The Delegator

This trait can be the most maddening of all. You have all kinds of work to do, then get half of the boss’ job handed to you too! He/she delegates to you, so you then delegate to someone else. When the manager asks what’s up with “XYZ?” tell them to ask so and so. When the manager says I assigned it to you, say “I had responsibilities directly tied to my position that I had to take care of first, so I made sure your work was handled as well.” In other words turn the tables a bit. This is really crucial if you are a very responsible and efficient worker. If you suck it up and do all your work plus this boss’s extras you will end up burned out and very resentful. At some point all of us reach our limit, and this boss will take you to the point of no return if you don’t nip the delegating a bit. Delegators take advantage. Just pass the work on, and send the message you are on to the game. If you don’t have anyone to pass the work on to, then do your job first. If there’s time, you can attempt to do some of the delegated work. Don’t get all the delegated work done regularly though, or your work load will permanently increase.

The largest takeaway from all of this though, is that everyone has weaknesses. That includes you and me! Be cognizant of the impact you have on others around you, and try to play to your boss’s strengths, while minimizing the impact of their weaknesses. That should help avoid their weaknesses and maybe even help you keep your own weaknesses under better control.

Course correct! How to patch things up with the boss

When I recently published the article “New manager, new rules,” several people tweeted they needed that advice a little earlier. New boss, burned bridge? There are ways to try and rebuild.

If you really think the two of you are not seeing eye-to-eye, sit down and talk with the boss. Don’t go in and say we are not seeing eye-to-eye, what should we do? Sit down and say you wanted your new boss to have a few weeks to get settled and would love to know this new manager’s expectations. This gives the person a chance to say what he/she wants from you, and what you are, and possibly are not, providing. It is better to know what the expectation is and take a lump, than keep analyzing and guessing and potentially accumulate several strikes against you. Listen to the manager’s insight and try and do it. After a few weeks ask if the work you’ve done is more along the lines of what this manager wants.

Do some research and find out what this boss implemented in other places. Then try and proactively do some of this. Let’s say, a manager is known for segmenting out story elements. Start implementing some of that in your own work. Face it, if this person has a reputation for some of these techniques, he/she will try them at your station. You might as well support it. Showing you embrace new ideas always helps build bridges.

Most of all, understand that this new person is trying to figure out everyone and everything. All stations run a little differently. Even if this manager has snapped at you, most realize it is better to work with the people who are already there than try and push them out. Show you are willing to be a team player and it just might work out, despite a rocky start.

New manager, new rules

We are coming up on the “season of change” for managers. Changes are often made after May sweeps, so there’s time to get a new person in place before the fall. A new manager means new opportunity and possibly a new pitfall. Often people only worry about an ND change. An AND or EP change can make as much of a difference in your future. Do not underestimate their say in having you on a particular shift or having a job at all. You need to make a good first impression.

So what does an assistant news director consider when coming to a new newsroom? This person wants to make a mark. Understand that AND’s run the day-to-day operations. They are looking for people who will work with them to make changes. This is a delicate dance, because you don’t want to alienate the ND if the AND decides to buck the current system too much. You don’t want to end up in the middle of a political mess. Focus on working hard and avoiding answering questions about why the place runs the way it does. You do not know the AND’s agenda yet. You do not want the AND to walk into a meeting and say these changes will happen and you told him/her the changes are justified because the place is poorly run. Yes, this can and does actually happen. I’ve seen it more than once. Be agreeable. Read “The 3 B’s to win over your ND” and keep those points in mind when dealing with a new AND as well.

Now let’s talk about EP changes. Again, these people are trying to make a mark. You want to be agreeable and willing to work hard. Do yourself a favor and stay away from the group that tries to haze the new EP. This especially happens in mid to large markets. I watched it time and again. Hazing the new EP is not smart. I don’t care if you feel the person is clueless. Remember, this person still has a say in your reviews. This person can still move up in the company and blacklist you. (Yes, that really happens too.) Stay out of the politics. On the other hand, you also do not want to be the EP’s doormat. Say no to the EP sometimes so you don’t end up getting extra piles of work when the EP becomes swamped. Again, look over “ The 3 B’s” and follow a lot of that advice. You want to be a go getter and eager to do your job. But stay out of the politics.

Final thoughts on these new managers: Once they have time to settle down, sit down with them fairly regularly and pick their brains on the news biz as a whole. You can gain great insight on what they’ve seen and done. Both AND’s and EP’s do more training and critiquing of your work than the ND usually does. Asking for an occasional critique is a great way to continue to advance your skills. It also is a great way to form an alliance while keeping yourself out of the politics in your newsroom. View these new managers as a new opportunity to broaden your skills. Work hard for them and, you never know, they may take you along when they rise higher in the biz.

Producer driven, doesn’t mean absolute power.

The trend in the TV industry keeps moving more toward the concept that “content is king.” In fact in the “2011 State of the News Media Annual Report,” trends show that in many markets managers consider newscasts appeal to be the brand more than the anchors. This means more newsrooms are turning into so called producer driven shops. Producers are becoming more of a commodity. With that comes more power. I even know of newsrooms in recent years where on air personalities took double digit pay cuts, while producers only had pay freezes. You can hear grumblings, “Yep it’s good to be the producer.” I also have seen some of those producers develop diva tendencies.

As a former producer it is nice to see producers get some long deserved respect for all the hard work. The job is a grind with a high burnout rate. Producers should be rewarded and compensated for taking on such an intense job. That said, you still need to form smart alliances with your coworkers. Especially reporters. In “Hey she got more time,” we explain to reporters how to think more like a producer. Now it’s time for producers to think more like reporters. Here’s why: When news managers decide “content is king” this ups the ante on producers to provide fresh elements in newscasts. In other words, with more attention placed on what you put into a newscast comes a price. You, the show producer, need to break news. You need to have fresh angles while on the line churning shows. You need to story tell even when the content is not presented in a reporter package form. (see “Produce it up.”)

Producers, the point is without your reporters solidly behind you, your newscast and you will fail. The crews provide the great nat sound for your local vo/sots. Reporters and assignment editors provide insight on how to source build if you are clueless. And don’t think that you won’t be expected to break news because you sit in the newsroom all day grinding a rundown. I worked in many producer driven shops and, in one of them, I was required to break 3 stories a week as a producer. Yes, that was on top of putting together my newscast and being unable to leave the newsroom to have lunches and shake hands with potential sources. How did I pull it off? I learned from some great reporters and assignment editors.

When content becomes a larger focus than showcasing anchor personalities, producers lose leeway for making mistakes. Mistiming a show and blowing a meter point can become a fire-able offense. I worked for one management team that did not allow us to go 15 seconds past a meter point. 15 seconds leeway is not easy to pull off, even when you are a seasoned producer. This means you cannot afford to have reporters miss slot. You cannot afford to have reporters turn in packages under or over time without your knowledge. The weather person cannot go long. Seeing my point here, yet? Producer driven shops actually make producers more dependent on other positions in the newsroom performing at a high level, for producers to also keep their jobs.

This leads to a big revelation for us control freak producers. Life doesn’t flow like a rundown. Commit that one to memory. Life doesn’t flow like a rundown. Time and again I witnessed producers that just could not roll well with change, especially late in their shift. Reporters were berated. Anchors were screamed at. The assignment desk was attacked mercilessly. You are paid to execute plans. You are told to make sure certain types of content runs at certain points. You hold your breath and hope to make the meter point to the second. On any given day the reality is, you will get about half of what you need to make your newscast sing.

You are paid to make it work even when you are handed a pile of crap. Lashing out at reporters and assignment editors that are not giving you the content you hoped for is a quick way to guarantee they will not go the extra mile to give you content the next day. If you want a newscast with killer content, and you don’t want to find all of it yourself each day, you need to cut your reporters SOME slack and hear them out when you are told certain angles just aren’t there. Sure there are some reporters you can count on more than others. Remember to not burn your stars that try to never leave you hanging. Those reporters are smart enough to know they are a big asset to you and can start pitching their ideas for other newscasts. This is especially true in mid to large sized markets.

So how do you think like a reporter? First have a frame of reference that stories don’t just appear in an hour. Be cognizant of drive time for field crews for example. If you want to tease a story that takes 2 hours for the crew to drive to, late in the day, then get creative about the tease and leave the crew largely alone. Don’t start calling to make sure the angle you want on a story is really happening, two hours after the crew walked out the door. That is, unless it is a late breaker and you have no choice because you are about to go to air. Be prepared to be flexible and move reporter pkgs around in the rundown if you must. Design a backup lead in case yours falls through. Field crews must be flexible all day long. Producers need to do the same, as much as possible. No, this doesn’t mean you have to lower your standards for content for your newscast. But it may mean you have to turn more of it yourself on a given day, if the crews are struggling. Do not berate the assignment desk or field crews over story ideas people come in with and belittle them by calling them “stupid” etc. If you do, expect major backlash! The thinking is “If you’re so great think of the ideas yourself.” I have been in plenty of editorial meetings and watched many reporters say, “I have story ideas but you won’t like them so tell me what I am turning today.” Suddenly you are in a very uncomfortable position.

Lastly, think about what it’s like to be left out to dry as a reporter. Do not leave field crews hanging, waiting to go live, without any clue when this will actually happen. Give crews time cues. If you must float them say “floating you.” There is little worse than standing in front of a camera, ready to go, and just hanging there wondering when you are actually going to be on. It is excruciating! I knew producers that would routinely get breaking news, then leave field crews sitting in ready position, for 20 minutes or more, without a word spoken to them. Then suddenly they would hear, “You’re up!” and the anchor is pitching.” IFB is going in and out. The field crew is thoroughly confused and caught off guard on camera! When quizzed about these tight spots the producers would say, “You should just be ready for when I say ‘Go!’” This is so unprofessional. It takes no time to say, “floating” or “stand down, need a few minutes.” Making your field crew hang in the balance feels like the heart pumping wait you endure when a package feeds at the last second before it is supposed to air. You hold your breath. You take a chance and you pray you don’t screw up and pitch to a story that isn’t cued up yet. Your adrenaline is gushing and it just plain stinks! You know how that feels don’t you? No reporter wants to be taken live looking like he/she is clueless to their surroundings. Just before air, even the most seasoned reporter has his/her adrenaline pumping, ready to go. Be respectful of what it takes to stand motionless and stare straight into the camera to cleanly go live. Give updates. Make sure the crew knows you are ready to go. Always remember, you don’t have absolute power. The best leaders respect and build up the people around them.