17 Oct Creating a Vision Nick Gibbons was described by his classmates at Columbia Universitys prestigious School of Journalism as
Creating a Vision
Nick Gibbons was described by his classmates at Columbia Universitys prestigious School of Journalism as a hard-core newshound with ink running in his blood. After working as a beat reporter for 10 years, Nick became city editor of a newspaper in a midsized Midwest town of about 100,000, overseeing a large staff of local reporters and writers.
So when the president of the large media group that owned his newspaper asked Nick to come to its headquarters for a meeting, he was excited. Until he heard what was said. The company was going to stop printing daily newspapers, instead publishing digital editions. Nicks newspaper would only be printed three days a week; the other days the news would be delivered in an electronic edition. As a result, 75% of the newspapers workforce would lose their jobs. As the president witnessed Nicks shock and dismay, he said, Nick, we think you are the only editor at your newspaper that can make this happen.
On the three-hour drive home, Nick realized that change at the newspaper was inevitable. Newspapers had been losing subscribers and revenue for a decade as readers turned to the Internet to get their news. Digital versions of newspapers were cheaper to produce and deliver. Although he did not like the idea of going digital, Nick knew in his heart that he still believed strongly in the importance of reporting the news and informing the community, no matter the format.
To succeed in taking the newspaper to a digital format, Nick was going to have to change an entrenched culture and belief system about newspapers, not only within his staff but among the public as well. To do this, he had to start from the ground up, creating something entirely new. This would require bringing aboard people who were energized about the future and not mourning the past.
His plan employed a three-prong approach. First, he informed the entire newspaper staff that they would lose their current jobs in three months and they would have to reapply for new jobs within the newspaper. The first required qualification was a willingness to forge the future for local journalism and make a contribution to this movement. If you cant let go of the past, he told his coworkers, then you cant move forward. In the end, almost 80% of the new positions were filled by former staffers whom Nick believed to be the best and brightest people the newspaper had.
Second, Nick moved the companys offices out of the building it had been in for 120 years to a smaller, very public space on the first floor of a downtown building. The offices were located on a corner completely sided by windows, the inner workings of the newspaper on display to passersby. Nick wanted the newspapers operations to be very visible so that it didnt seem like it had just disappeared.
Nicks third approach was what he called a high forgiveness factor. What they were creating was new and untried, and he knew there would be plenty of missteps along the way. He stressed to his new staffers that he didnt expect perfection, just dedication and determination. For example, one of those missteps was the elimination of the newspapers exhaustive list of local events, which resulted in a huge community outcry. To correct this, staffers determined they could satisfy the communitys frustrations by creating a dedicated website for a local events calendar with event organizers submitting the information electronically. A staff member would oversee college interns in editing the submissions and updating the website.
When the newspaper announced its change to a digital format, the reaction was harsh: Readers canceled subscriptions, and advertisers dropped away like flies. Its been four years since the change, and the newspaper is slowly gaining back readers and experiencing more visits to its website. The sales staff is starting to be successful teaching advertisers how to create digital ads that can reach the right audiences by using behavioral targeting and social media.
QUESTIONS
- What is Nick Gibbonss vision in this case study? How is it similar to or different from the vision of the owners of the paper? Discuss the unique challenges a leader faces when required to implement a vision of his or her superiors.
- Why do you think Nick wanted to open the workings of the paper up to the public? How is this related to his vision?
- Visions usually require changing peoples values. What desired changes in values are highlighted by this case study?
- How well did Nick Gibbons articulate his vision for the paper? If you were in Nicks shoes, how would you articulate your vision in this case?
- Do you think the newspaper will thrive under Nicks leadership? Why?
GRADING RUBRIC & PREPARATION OF WRITTEN MATERIALS
To work in the field of leadership and human resource development, individuals need to possess a diverse skillset which includes effective communication needed to create partnerships, convey messages, solve problems, and lead organizations. In todays highly globalized world in which communication is a means of bridging distances, the emphasis on effective written communication is greater than ever. Thus, as future leaders, you will be required to develop and nurture your writing skills and demonstrate them through written assignments throughout this course.
It is expected that all written materials submitted in this course will be organized in a logical manner and be written in clear and understandable language. Submitted papers should be free of typographical, spelling, and grammatical errors, as these will influence your grade. Students should follow the Grading Rubrics and to ensure that they communicate their ideas effectively in writing.
Additionally, students should make sure their written responses are not based on personal opinions. It is expected that written assignments will include references which will support the students claims. When choosing references, students should make sure they cite reliable resources. Students are advised to use online resources available via LSU Libraries, but are not limited to materials available there. It is imperative that students cite the resources they used and include all works cited in the list of references.
Note: Students should follow APA guidelines for citations; however, it is also required to include page number for every reference to the textbook, regardless of whether a direct citation is used or not. This will help the instructor evaluate the understanding of key concepts from the textbook. You should include at least one reference to the textbook for each question.
All written assignments should follow APA guidelines, thus should:
- Be double-spaced
- Use 12-point Times New Roman font
- Have 1-inch margins on all sides
- Include page numbers
Weekly assignments should also include:
- Students name, as listed in Moodle
- Course code and title
- Date of submission
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