Some Things You Just Can't Control

I will be the first to admit that I like doing things by myself. I am definitely capable of working with other people in a team environment but when I want to get something done quickly and correctly, then I want to do it myself. I'm somewhat of a control freak in that way. Little did I know, this type of personality was not going to mesh well in a producing environment.

All day throughout the broadcast on Wednesday, my producer teammates, Drennon and Elisabeth, were asking me to do things for the broadcast like make a graphic or call to check up on a reporter out on the field. We had great communication with each other, but things started to fall apart with me when I volunteered to start writing a story here and there because I was making a graphic for it already. It just made sense in my head that since I'm making the graphic, I should just write it.

I quickly realized I was wrong. I was falling behind on other tasks, like putting over the shoulder graphics in the rundown and giving graphic requests to the art director so she would be able to make them in time for the newscast. I had to learn to delegate writing assignments to MJs because 6 pm was approaching closer and closer. I learned I won't be able to have control of every little thing and it's okay. My fellow producers reminded me that I was part of a team and if I took on too much and ignored my main responsibilities, I would fail them as a team member.

Throughout the day, Drennon, Elisabeth and I all kept in communication with each other so we knew what stories needed to be written and edited. Since Drennon was the lead producer in charge of the rundown, she would always tell me when she needed an extra graphic or a graphic was changing in the rundown, which made my life a whole lot easier. Elisabeth did an awesome job as the video teammate and also kept in close communication with me, especially when she left to go to the control room at 5 pm.

There's a very well known quote, "teamwork makes the dream work" and up until my producing shift on Wednesday, I thought it was kind of cheesy. But the simple meaning of it is very true. Without teamwork, the newscast will never happen. Each week will be a learning experience. This week I learned I can't control everything and I can't be afraid to delegate jobs.  Even though Elisabeth was only with the Wednesday team just for this week, I still think it's important, as producer teammates, that we keep in communication throughout the day each week because without it, we will fail as a team.