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Junior, Editor-in-Chief having problems

Kaylee, 10/8/2005, 12:11:46 AM

Ok this is the problem I am junior on staff and was made the Editor-in-Chief. I was really scared about taking it but I chose to anyways. Well the page editors think I am not doing my job and this one really hates me b/c she is a senior and doesn't like to listen to me. My other problem is that I am haveing trouble getting on to people so most just blow me off b/c they know I wont yell at them. I need ways to help me with my staff...please any comments will help! Thanks!

Responses

KW, 11/19/2005, 8:29:01 PM
I am editor-in-chief of my school paper as a junior, also, so I know how it goes. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that you MUST be assertive when the time calls for it. If your staff believes that they will not be punished for refusing to listen to you, they will just continue to do so. So, for instance, I don't know if you have drafts or whatever, but if they don't turn in the first draft one the day it's due, give them all zeros. Start making rules that you plan on enforcing, and as soon as you begin to act on them assertively, your staff will ebgin to listen.

Laura, 11/24/2005, 12:55:06 PM
I work closely with our editor-in-chief, so I've kind of learned how she works. She tends to crack down hard on the first three issues or so until people get in the swing of things - if no story ideas, drafts, page rough designs, beats, etc, it's a zero. Kids learn fast. I know this sounds hard, but if you just say things will happen, and you don't follow through, the staff will learn that you don't mean what you say. You have to stick to your word and punish them, even if it gets ugly...