Managers can have a profound impact on a professional career, especially in a specialized field such as public media. Readers are now being asked to describe the boss who made the most difference in their career paths – in a good way.
Current and former public media employees who responded to our survey described many different qualities. To distill the 24 responses, we grouped the characteristics into categories to see what was most frequently discussed. Talent development and supportive relationships stand out as qualities that employees value most in a great employer.
Here is a selection of the responses we received.
My best boss was my former news director. He always makes sure people remember to be people first, journalists second – and I think that makes all of our work better. He is never in a hurry to call you or edit, and he has built relationships with everyone on our team built on respect and the idea that everyone should be given space to learn about our work in public media. He is always a coach who guides the direction of your work, but makes you have answers. He never believed in healing. His attitude was endlessly patient. — Caitie Muñoz, interim managing editor, WLRN, Miami
My best employer(s) trusted my instincts, supported my creativity and were willing for me to take risks. They support me when I am questioned or when I make a wrong move. They were generous with their expertise and allowed me the space and time to develop new skills, tools and relationships. — Laurel Wyckoff, education and outreach manager, New Mexico PBS/KNME, Albuquerque
My boss takes the time to listen and consider the possibilities. He helps me feel appreciated for my good work and helps me stretch where/when I need to do more. Most importantly, he is not a micromanager. He hired me because I had a track record of success selling public radio in this market and allowed me to do the job with minimal supervision. — Jay Ahuja, corporate sponsorship sales rep, WDAV, Davidson, NC
The best boss I’ve ever had understood what to do in my job – because he had done it before – and never forgot how hard it was. He treats us all as people first, not just pieces of machinery. And he allows us to not always be “together” when neither of us are together. He showed true compassion. — Melissa Ingels, Morning edition host, Wisconsin Public Radio, Madison
I am very happy to have worked with Bill Siemering at WHYY [in Philadelphia] early in my career. Bill continues to be a beacon of what a great leader is. He is able to identify great talent and put in place structures for his team to develop and grow. He’s able to create a vision of what’s possible and then go back to let his team realize it (and cheer when the vision changes as the team brings it to life). … He inspired me for almost 40 years. — Julie Burstein, independent audio producer, Maplewood, NJ
My best boss was a very creative, out-of-the-box thinker, which later helped me come up with more creative solutions to problems. He is also very grateful for the work put in by his team and … expresses his gratitude often and in very specific ways, not throwing out general statements. … He was also very supportive of our ideas and helped us … His management style … made us want to work harder and do better because we felt really respected and valued. — Amanda Morgan, director of membership, WQED Multimedia, Pittsburgh
JJ Yore is the best boss I’ve ever had. He is creative, forward-thinking, financially prudent, makes decisions when necessary, and is a caring person. JJ is thoughtful, compassionate, and has a great sense of humor. I am sad that he is gone. — Diane Rehm, podcast producer and host, WAMU, Washington, DC
Understanding, fair, transparent, sense of humor, and they are genuinely concerned about what is best for me. … They have strong character, strong work ethic and they are experts in their field. … Have a way of talking to everyone that makes them feel heard. — Christine Sadic, manager of corporate sponsorship and foundation giving, WOSU Public Media, Columbus, Ohio
For me, there is a big difference between a good manager and a good leader. The manager knows how to get things done through efficiency. A good leader is one who makes me want to walk on fire [her]. He was able to see into my soul and show me my potential. … He made me feel safe enough to step out of my comfort zone, and when I did, boy, my confidence grew. He continues to bring out the best in me. – Traci Tong, freelance editor, Boston, formerly with The world and KERA in Dallas
I had two very good bosses. Both are knowledgeable about public broadcasting and have a shared vision for what we do. Both respect my strengths and give me the latitude to do what I think is best. Both are very fun people to work with and can effectively beat me to the punch if needed. — David Othmer, former WHYY station manager, now retired, Philadelphia
They listen, are clear in their directions and intentions, and recognize the difficulty of situations. They force me to step out of my comfort zone while also respecting my boundaries. They are … honest about fairness, and as transparent in their thinking and process as they can be. — Devin Yamanaka, assistant PD and afternoon news host, CapRadio, Sacramento, Calif.
Trust, autonomy and respect for my work-life boundaries. It also helps a lot to find little ways to laugh and connect. — Melanie Pehrson-Noyce, education coordinator, PBS Kids Utah, Salt Lake City
Supports … your ideas and gives you the freedom to try new things and see what works. Truly believe in the mission of public media and … serve the public and community. Striving to be a better organization and asking how the organization can achieve its goals. — Heidi Brown, director of development, KANW, Albuquerque, NM
The best boss I’ve ever had at PBS and challenging in all the right ways. …This boss helped navigate more difficult relationships and “personalities.” When faced with a challenge, offer to back you up – or just step in when needed, to be more supportive. Annual reviews are not something to be afraid of… because any necessary guidance or correction… [didn’t] wait for the annual review. — Kevin Ruppenthal, former PBS director of technology communications, is now with SpectraRep, Chantilly, Va.
Honorable engagement. Clear communication. Passionate commitment to mission. Wisdom. He … wants me to be the best I can be. … He taught me never to ask him what to do with a problem, but rather to approach him with a proposed solution. We depend on each other. David Ives, [president of WGBH in Boston, 1970–84], is the ideal employer for me. — Hope Green, former president, Vermont Public TV, now retired, Burlington, Vt.
My boss treated us like human beings. He puts our health first and content second. He always asks how we want to improve as journalists and helps to make it happen. He trusted our expertise and only talked about what stories needed to be done after we went around the room in pitch meetings. He is an active listener and takes our opinion into consideration, even if we don’t get what we want. Although he doesn’t always have time to give feedback, we debrief after the long form pieces are done and I find that helpful. – Rebecca Thiele, energy/environment reporter, Indiana Public Broadcasting, Bloomington, Ind.
Vision, clarity, courage, confidence, humor, accountability, teaching; giving staff space to experiment and space to fail, without harsh judgment, and helping to heal. — Phil Wilke, GM, North State Public Radio, Chico, Calif.
