March, 2010
How quickly perspectives can change
Last night, as I was finishing up some work on the computer, I turned on the TV and glanced periodically at the basketball game just starting between Rhode Island and North Carolina in the NIT. My interest in the game was rooted in Rhode Island Coach Jim Baron, who graduated from my alma mater, St. [...]
Learning from a friend
A guest speaker in my editing class yesterday was Michael Meath, head of Strategic Communications, LLC, and an adjunct professor in the public relations department at the Newhouse School. Michael also is a longtime friend from high school, and we reconnected many years later at Newhouse. When I introduced him as our guest, I made [...]
Grace under pressure
It’s that time of year when everyone’s attention, it seems, turns to college basketball. Here at Syracuse University, which is hosting the NCAA Tournament’s East Regional, basketball is the buzz. This tournament season, several No. 1 seeds have fallen early, including SU against Butler last night in the Sweet 16. At the post-game press conference, [...]
Work — and Succeed — in Teams: Video
In this week’s video we joke about how to ruin students’ spring: Tell them they have to work in teams. Except it’s not really a joke, because teamwork is — indeed — difficult. Everyone agrees teamwork and collaboration produce a better result. It is inarguable. The key is to survive it, because it does cause [...]
Last look – when to hold a story
Holding a story. It is probably the most difficult decision an editor makes on deadline. Why? Because a lot of work has gone into that story, and a lot of second-guessing will follow the decision not to run it. But a role of an editor is to take that last look and ask: Is this [...]
Practice patience — and politeness
Patience. It’s something we tend not to have a lot of these days, such as when we must wait a few minutes to make a bag of microwave popcorn or 45 seconds to reheat a cup of coffee. Sitting at a traffic light always seems to take up way too much of our time, as [...]
