Empty desks are a real and painful part of today’s newsrooms, where buyouts and layoffs have sent former occupants packing. When I teach change management sessions, I often talk about the importance of understanding symbolism in changing times. For many on your staff, especially your most creative employees who think and write in metaphors, those desks may be icons of loss and despair, of a better past and a frightening future.
I think of those desks as a call to leadership.
Now, you might think that interior design is hardly important compared to keeping the newsroom afloat in a daunting business environment. But it matters. And you don’t have to tackle the challenge alone. In fact, you shouldn’t. So let’s spend less than three minutes of your valuable time together, as I share a personal view and some professional tips on what great bosses know about “Empty Desk Syndrome.” Listen:
Poynter’s “What Great Bosses Know” podcast is sponsored by The City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. Poynter’s leadership and management expert Jill Geisler shares practical information on leadership and management that’s valuable for bosses in newsrooms — and all walks of life.
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