Welcome to our Newsroom Leadership Library, where you’ll find a few key recommended readings and resources curated by our team. These resources, pulled from both within the RISJ community and beyond, can help inform journalists and managers looking for ideas and best practices to lead their teams through a changing industry. Got a suggestion to add to the list? Email us!
On defining your leadership style
News
Media leaders must keep learning. Here are five principles to guide your learning and ensure it delivers
Lucy Kueng explains why ongoing learning is a necessity, how to prioritise it painlessly, and why it needs to take you out of your comfort zone.
RISJ podcast series
The Authentic Leadership Project
A five-part series exploring authenticity in newsroom leadership
Article
Assessment: What’s your leadership style?
A tool to better understand your personal approach to leadership. | Harvard Business Review
Article
The worst year of your career begins when you become a boss
Valuable advice on navigating a new leadership role, including how to handle the change in dynamics with former colleagues you now manage. | Time
Academic paper
Trust and fear in the newsroom: How emotions drive the exchange of innovative ideas
Research on why fostering trust among staff is the most important factor in encouraging innovation in a newsroom. | Journalism Studies
Article
Leadership is a service: how to help your team find purpose and navigate change
Some tips for journalists moving into a leadership role. | European Journalism Centre
Academic paper
Effective leadership in journalism: Field theory in how journalists evaluate newsroom leadership
An academic study from the University of South Florida on what makes a good newsroom boss, based on interview with 27 journalists in the US.
News
Media leaders must keep learning. Here are five principles to guide your learning and ensure it delivers
Lucy Kueng explains why ongoing learning is a necessity, how to prioritise it painlessly, and why it needs to take you out of your comfort zone.
RISJ podcast series
The Authentic Leadership Project
A five-part series exploring authenticity in newsroom leadership
Article
Assessment: What’s your leadership style?
A tool to better understand your personal approach to leadership. | Harvard Business Review
Article
The worst year of your career begins when you become a boss
Valuable advice on navigating a new leadership role, including how to handle the change in dynamics with former colleagues you now manage. | Time
Book
Radical Candor
An industry standard for leaders looking to create more fair and collaborative workplaces.
Academic paper
Trust and fear in the newsroom: How emotions drive the exchange of innovative ideas
Research on why fostering trust among staff is the most important factor in encouraging innovation in a newsroom. | Journalism Studies
Article
Leadership is a service: how to help your team find purpose and navigate change
Some tips for journalists moving into a leadership role. | European Journalism Centre
Academic paper
Effective leadership in journalism: Field theory in how journalists evaluate newsroom leadership
An academic study from the University of South Florida on what makes a good newsroom boss, based on interview with 27 journalists in the US.
RISJ news article
Five tips on newsroom leadership from the International Journalism Festival 2023
Being an intentional leader is difficult. Here are a few useful quotes we heard in Perugia from speakers we admire and respect.
News
[Infographic] 10 ways to become an excellent leader in news
Want to know how to lead your team or newsroom effectively? See our infographic on 10 ways you can make this happen.
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On leading healthy teams
News
Mar Cabra from The Self-Investigation on how media leaders can protect their teams (and themselves) from burnout
Cabra’s exhaustion after winning a Pulitzer Prize encouraged her to help others. In this interview she offers valuable tips for newsroom managers.
News
Five tips for building a culture of care in your newsroom: Strategies for newsroom leaders
“You need to demonstrate the highest values yourself,” says media consultant Jeremy Clifford.
Article
Leaders learn tough lessons about resilience
Why “soft” skills are now increasingly seen as essential leadership qualities. | Financial Times
RISJ event
Escaping toxic newsroom spaces and online hate
Dhanya Rajendran, Editor-in-Chief, The News Minute joins us for our Global Journalism Seminar series
Guide
Editors’ checklist: Protecting staff and freelancers against online abuse
A guide for editors to help prepare and protect their journalists against online abuse. | Committee to Protect Journalists
News
Mar Cabra from The Self-Investigation on how media leaders can protect their teams (and themselves) from burnout
Cabra’s exhaustion after winning a Pulitzer Prize encouraged her to help others. In this interview she offers valuable tips for newsroom managers.
News
Five tips for building a culture of care in your newsroom: Strategies for newsroom leaders
“You need to demonstrate the highest values yourself,” says media consultant Jeremy Clifford.
Article
Leaders learn tough lessons about resilience
Why “soft” skills are now increasingly seen as essential leadership qualities. | Financial Times
RISJ event
Escaping toxic newsroom spaces and online hate
Dhanya Rajendran, Editor-in-Chief, The News Minute joins us for our Global Journalism Seminar series
Guide
Editors’ checklist: Protecting staff and freelancers against online abuse
A guide for editors to help prepare and protect their journalists against online abuse. | Committee to Protect Journalists
RISJ fellowship project
Protecting journalists from online abuse: a guide for newsrooms
A project by our Journalist Fellow Gideon Sarpong proposes five steps newsrooms should take to protect their staff.
On middle management
Article
Managers are trapped in a performance-compassion dilemma
Tips for how middle managers can they cope with competing pressures from above and below. | Harvard Business Review
Article
The real value of middle managers
The 4 roles of middle managers. | Harvard Business Review
Article
Managers are trapped in a performance-compassion dilemma
Tips for how middle managers can they cope with competing pressures from above and below. | Harvard Business Review
Article
The real value of middle managers
The 4 roles of middle managers. | Harvard Business Review
Article
The squeezed middle — how do managers cope?
Why training and clear expectations are key for the success of mid-level supervisors. | Financial Times
On change management
Article
The focus turns to newsroom leaders for lasting change
A blueprint for why newsrooms leaders have the responsibility to make changes to the wider media system, including aligning incentives with stated goals. | Nieman Lab
Article
The focus turns to newsroom leaders for lasting change
A blueprint for why newsrooms leaders have the responsibility to make changes to the wider media system, including aligning incentives with stated goals. | Nieman Lab
RISJ fellowship project
Lessons in confronting old newsroom values and structures
Frida Sandgren reflects on organisational lessons for improved collaborative culture.
On managing across generations
News
How these three Zillennial media leaders approach management in multigenerational newsrooms
Mayu Kato, Jasper Wilkins and Anna Lagos are part of this micro-generation that sits in between Millennials and Gen Z. Here's how they see their job.
Article
What Gen Z can teach their bosses about the meaning of work
3 tips from Gen Z to improve your relationship to your work. | Quartz
Article
What newsroom leaders should know about working with Gen Z employees
What matters to Gen Z employees in a newsroom? | The Fix
News
How these three Zillennial media leaders approach management in multigenerational newsrooms
Mayu Kato, Jasper Wilkins and Anna Lagos are part of this micro-generation that sits in between Millennials and Gen Z. Here's how they see their job.
Article
What Gen Z can teach their bosses about the meaning of work
3 tips from Gen Z to improve your relationship to your work. | Quartz
Article
What newsroom leaders should know about working with Gen Z employees
What matters to Gen Z employees in a newsroom? | The Fix
RISJ fellowship project
Seven ways to create a newsroom Gen Zs will stay in
Our Journalist Fellow Mpho Raborife offers seven recommendations for how to make our newsroom a more attractive place for young journalists to work and thrive.
On wider industry trends
Guide
Project management in newsrooms
A practical guide for those who work in newsrooms and want to become better at project management. | Association for Project Management
Article
Buddy system for new hires strengthens onboarding experience, research shows
Research on the benefits of pairing new hires with a “buddy” during the onboarding experience. | HR Dive
RISJ research
Women and leadership in the news media 2023: evidence from 12 markets
In this factsheet we analyse the gender breakdown of top editors in a sample of 240 major news outlets in 12 different markets.
RISJ research
Changing Newsrooms 2023
Media leaders struggle to embrace diversity in full and remain cautious on AI disruption.
RISJ research
Race and leadership in the news media 2023: evidence from five markets
We analyse the racial breakdown of top editors at a sample of 100 major news outlets in five markets.
RISJ fellowship project
How to implement a feedback culture in your newsroom
Lessons from Sunnyvale and Sweden in the transformative power of good feedback.
Guide
Project management in newsrooms
A practical guide for those who work in newsrooms and want to become better at project management. | Association for Project Management
Article
Buddy system for new hires strengthens onboarding experience, research shows
Research on the benefits of pairing new hires with a “buddy” during the onboarding experience. | HR Dive
RISJ research
Women and leadership in the news media 2023: evidence from 12 markets
In this factsheet we analyse the gender breakdown of top editors in a sample of 240 major news outlets in 12 different markets.
RISJ research
Changing Newsrooms 2023
Media leaders struggle to embrace diversity in full and remain cautious on AI disruption.
RISJ research
Race and leadership in the news media 2023: evidence from five markets
We analyse the racial breakdown of top editors at a sample of 100 major news outlets in five markets.
RISJ fellowship project
How to implement a feedback culture in your newsroom
Lessons from Sunnyvale and Sweden in the transformative power of good feedback.