The path forward: Real support, practical tools, and proactive measures

The big idea behind my fellowship project is simple: What does operational excellence look like for independent news organizations, and how can we help leaders get there? 

Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to have in-depth conversations with operational leaders across the news industry, digging into what’s working, what’s breaking down, and what could make a lasting impact. 

And if you’d like to sit down with me to share your experiences, let’s set up a call.

Each organization faces different issues, but we did find some clear recurring themes. 

Challenge 1: Financial management

Financial oversight and operations are a universal pain point. Many newsroom leaders I spoke to understand the day-to-day financial demands of their organizations but are less clear on how to strategically plan for the future. Cash flow forecasting, in particular, is a gap — one that causes major stress (because let’s face it, as we discussed last month, Cash is Queen). Especially for those funded primarily by philanthropy, the uncertainty about cash renewals and planning leads to unnecessary anxiety, and in the worst cases, organizational burnout and collapse. 

The bottom line? Organizations need better tools, more accessible practices, and support on financial planning and oversight that helps them move from reactive to proactive money management.

Challenge 2: People and HR

Several interviewees shared that they struggle with creating and implementing staffing plans, determining appropriate compensation levels, building a great recruiting practice and retaining great people. Burnout hits hard here; too many people are spread thin and underpaid — and sometimes they (especially founders and entrepreneurs) don’t pay themselves at all.

There’s a real need for stronger HR systems to handle not only staffing but also professional development, performance management, and culture-building.

Challenge 3: Operational systems and processes

We also heard a clear need for more effective and efficient operational processes. Those included improving editorial workflows, enhancing communication, tightening up document management, and managing everything in an advertising business. Processes might be tied to one particular individual, which means when that person leaves, too many things fall apart. 

Even when people see a better process or tool, limited time and resources make it tough to implement new systems. Many are stuck with “good enough” (or subpar) systems, even if they know there’s something better out there because they can’t weather the disruption of the change.

Opportunity 1: Practical support, not just training

There’s been a wave of training and coaching programs across the industry (and don’t get me wrong, funders — training is vital, and I’ve led a few myself.)

But what leaders really need is a partner who’ll go beyond the coaching and actually support the work. As one contributor put it, “I don’t need to be taught to fish. I need someone to give me the pole and fish with me.” 

There’s a need for practical, ready-to-use resources — templates, toolkits, actionable recommendations, and a trusted expert to guide them in real time. A lot of the former is out there but it isn’t always easy to find the tools when they need them, or the extra hands for support.

Opportunity 2: Proactive measures for sustainability

Preventing burnout, avoiding financial crisis, and maintaining a steady course are all within reach if leaders have proactive operational support. Everyone I spoke to understands the value of identifying potential problems early and having a robust system in place to catch issues before they spiral. So what are those proactive measures, and how can we get them in the hands of these leaders?

Next steps

Overall, we have learned — leaders sometimes don’t know what they don’t know or where to start. There’s a mountain of resources out there, but with limited time, it’s tough to know where to dig in.

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to share their experiences. These conversations have helped me define and refine where my project is heading. 

To that end, I’m building an organizational self-assessment tool. Drawing on both my research and experience, this survey will cover strategic, financial, and HR foundations, as well as, and operational effectiveness. It’s designed to spotlight exactly where leaders should focus to build operational excellence within their organization.

I’m looking for organizations willing to pilot this tool with me. If you’re open to it, let me know here.

Thanks to everyone who has helped to support this project so far!

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Cite this article

Myers, Kate (2024, Nov. 5). Building stronger newsrooms by tackling operational pain points queen. Reynolds Journalism Institute. Retrieved from: https://rjionline.org/news/building-stronger-newsrooms-by-tackling-operational-pain-points/