We Talking About Teamwork
We may have the smallest team, but our us against the world mentality has actually helped (not hurt) the quality of our broadcast. If there is one thing I think we are genuinely doing well, it would be utilizing our problem-solving skills as a leadership team.
We don't mind being that steady rock, even if that's not our given assignment for the week. That's mostly the case since the term "producer roles" is rather flexible on our two-person team.
The adventure has been filled with ups and downs, and I feel as the weeks pass we are gaining more confidence in one another. I'm not gonna lie, Team Tuesday is very talented. That is largely thanks to the MJs, Assignment Desk Editors and Reporters who make our jobs so much easier.
Jillian and I are very interchangeable, but we approach the craft in very different ways. Jill is the kind spirit capable of talking to anyone in the newsroom with a soft-spoken, determined manner that gains everyone's immediate respect. I on the other hand will get in your face, not in a mean way, but in a fun-filled, engaging manner to make sure stuff gets done.
Right from the very first person that arrives in the Media Center, the members of Team Tuesday really love to showcase their promising curiosity with some great questions. So one of the things we do to ensure this level of optimism is one talk to them, and two make sure they have things to do, even if they are more fun (like catching my stress ball).
Did I mention that the producers all wear name tags, even now as we get ready for the start of November. I never want anyone in the newsroom to feel uncomfortable asking me a question, so knowing my name and seeing our positive attitude kinda breaks the ice a little bit.
When people feel left out of that fun vibe, it becomes a little disheartening to try and be an active part of the newsroom. That attention to personal detail, along with some sarcastic humor to keep things light, makes for one awesome day of work on our broadcast.
Now in terms of our two-person production team, which honestly could be called the three-person team if you include Rachel, we just love to help out. Whether Jill is ordering graphics on lead or I notice a video placeholder needs to be made, we both make sure to check the little things that sometimes go unnoticed. It feels like we never actually shift roles because the constant checking and correcting keeps us both feeling like producers, basically of any kind.
There are times that both Jill and I are overwhelmed with responsibility, the perks of working on a smaller staff, which can be challenging. Like I'm being honest here, there are days when I'm asked questions by eight different people and I just don't have enough hands to help.
It's not always perfect, but we work hard to think like the other person. That's probably the one thing I want to keep improving, making sure our communication is on point. If we can get a firm grasp on the elements we have, the elements we need and the elements we want, it becomes easier to feed the mouths of all the hungry journalists in our newsroom.
