Lensmith
Member
I was answering another post about how to get a chief photog position and it brought back a lot of memories.
Many of us, as television news photogs have the job of chief photog as one of our goals. Getting the job is one thing. Doing the job is something else.
I was hired from the outside. I won't go into all the details how that happened here since I expained that elsewhere in the Chief Photog forum but...my first days were hell.
Most of us have the idea you get named to the chief job and everything is rosey. You get to direct the photog staff to more creative heights plus get more input into what gear gets purchased. Yes, lots of the basic manager jobs suck. Like scheduling and such, but I'd love to hear from other chiefs here how their first days "in charge" went.
Mine was not pretty. After a long selection process I was hired from the outside to supervise a staff of twenty photogs. Several of them had been up for my job and many of them...no, let's be honest...most of them were really pissed off when they hired me, an outsider.
The ND finally made the decision I'd been waiting for. He told me I had the job and to come in, he wanted to introduce me to the staff. A photog meeting was scheduled after the six pm news. I was to wait in the ND's office while he went in and told the staff he'd made his choice. I remember sitting there in the office, waiting for him to return so excited about the new direction and possibilities ahead for me.
The news director walks back into his office after a few minutes with a less than happy look on his face. He'd talked to the photogs telling them what a good job they did and how much he respected all who had applied for the job. Then he told them he'd hired me from the outside.
Things went quickly downhill from there. The short story is most of the photogs were really upset and in the end, they all walked out of the meeting in front of the ND without even waiting to meet me. I couldn't believe it!
I could understand people being dissappointed but having them all walk out was the first clue I was in for a wild ride. It wasn't the happy "welcome" I expected. Call me naive...which I was. In retrospect I too might have walked out if the tables had been turned.
I had to face reality. It was up to me to prove I could do the job. Not only to the ND but to the staff of photogs who had all just walked out.
The ND suggested it might be a good idea if I just came back the next day and we'd try and reintroduce me to everyone. I felt action was required right then and there. If I didn't show a little of what I was made of, I'd never get the respect of any of the photogs...and in some ways, I felt I needed to prove something to the ND as well.
I raced down to the photog break room and found two or three of the shooters still there. All of them were not afraid to let me know how pissed off they were. I gave my best "hey, the decision has been made and I'm going to do a good job. I deserve a fair chance" speech.
It was actually more for my own good to do that rather than me actually thinking I was going to change any minds that same night.
The next day was not pretty but I made a point of having a one on one meeting with each and every photog. Telling them I understood what a crappy situation it was for all of us and that I wasn't the devil or some no talent, management puppet looking to screw them over. I wanted to know what they thought was good and bad about the station, their equipment, as well as get to know each of them as a person. I was there for them and that over time, they would see I would live up to that sell.
Not every photog was angry with me. Several even gave me encouragement but the majority were definately in the "this guy sucks" column.
The ND was still concerned. One of the inside candidates for the job was very upset that they didn't get the job and was...well, let's just say the photog was doing their best to make my life hell with lots of comments and actions undermining my new job position any way possible.
The ND knew this was happening and offered to fire the photog but that was the last thing I needed. If that photog got fired it would only cause more chaos in the staff and I'd look like a jerk and never get what I really wanted. Respect.
I told him no. I don't want the guy fired, or transfered, or whatever. Leave him alone and I'd handle it by doing my job the best I could for the betterment of all.
I learned patience. I learned a lot about people. I learned so much that first month. A lot of stuff I wish I'd never had to learn but it did make me a better manager as well as a better person.
In a few months things calmed down. My actions as chief were slowly acknowledged as being fair. As fair as anything can be in a newsroom environment.
I spent five years as chief. A great period of my life and I made some life long photog friends there who I still cherish to this day. Good talented people who taught me a lot. Not just about being a manager but being a better photog as well.
Lots of people think the chief needs to be the best photog in the building. I don't think that's true. I think you need a team where everyone is "the best". I had the best of both worlds because I could better myself on so many levels working with other talented, experienced photogs. Those lessons continue to pay off for me to this day when I deal with clients or people I hire.
I'm hoping my experience is the exception to what other chiefs experienced during their first days on the job but I'd love to hear what the rest of you did.
What would you do differently on your own first day as Chief? Anything? A lot depends on the situation you are in but I thought I'd share my own experience since so much on this site seems more focused on getting the job or handling basic chief jobs like scheduling and purchasing.
Has the chief photog position you hold lived up to what you thought it was supposed to be?
In the end, I missed being out on the street "doing the job". I liked being chief but I have more fun covering news, doing what I love most. Shooting and getting the rush of a job well done at the end of each and every day without having to worry about everyone else.
I'm not a selfish guy but I know what it is that puts a smile on my face when I'm wanting to earn a paycheck.
Best to all.
[ July 21, 2005, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: Lensmith ]
Many of us, as television news photogs have the job of chief photog as one of our goals. Getting the job is one thing. Doing the job is something else.
I was hired from the outside. I won't go into all the details how that happened here since I expained that elsewhere in the Chief Photog forum but...my first days were hell.
Most of us have the idea you get named to the chief job and everything is rosey. You get to direct the photog staff to more creative heights plus get more input into what gear gets purchased. Yes, lots of the basic manager jobs suck. Like scheduling and such, but I'd love to hear from other chiefs here how their first days "in charge" went.
Mine was not pretty. After a long selection process I was hired from the outside to supervise a staff of twenty photogs. Several of them had been up for my job and many of them...no, let's be honest...most of them were really pissed off when they hired me, an outsider.
The ND finally made the decision I'd been waiting for. He told me I had the job and to come in, he wanted to introduce me to the staff. A photog meeting was scheduled after the six pm news. I was to wait in the ND's office while he went in and told the staff he'd made his choice. I remember sitting there in the office, waiting for him to return so excited about the new direction and possibilities ahead for me.
The news director walks back into his office after a few minutes with a less than happy look on his face. He'd talked to the photogs telling them what a good job they did and how much he respected all who had applied for the job. Then he told them he'd hired me from the outside.
Things went quickly downhill from there. The short story is most of the photogs were really upset and in the end, they all walked out of the meeting in front of the ND without even waiting to meet me. I couldn't believe it!
I could understand people being dissappointed but having them all walk out was the first clue I was in for a wild ride. It wasn't the happy "welcome" I expected. Call me naive...which I was. In retrospect I too might have walked out if the tables had been turned.
I had to face reality. It was up to me to prove I could do the job. Not only to the ND but to the staff of photogs who had all just walked out.
The ND suggested it might be a good idea if I just came back the next day and we'd try and reintroduce me to everyone. I felt action was required right then and there. If I didn't show a little of what I was made of, I'd never get the respect of any of the photogs...and in some ways, I felt I needed to prove something to the ND as well.
I raced down to the photog break room and found two or three of the shooters still there. All of them were not afraid to let me know how pissed off they were. I gave my best "hey, the decision has been made and I'm going to do a good job. I deserve a fair chance" speech.
It was actually more for my own good to do that rather than me actually thinking I was going to change any minds that same night.
The next day was not pretty but I made a point of having a one on one meeting with each and every photog. Telling them I understood what a crappy situation it was for all of us and that I wasn't the devil or some no talent, management puppet looking to screw them over. I wanted to know what they thought was good and bad about the station, their equipment, as well as get to know each of them as a person. I was there for them and that over time, they would see I would live up to that sell.
Not every photog was angry with me. Several even gave me encouragement but the majority were definately in the "this guy sucks" column.
The ND was still concerned. One of the inside candidates for the job was very upset that they didn't get the job and was...well, let's just say the photog was doing their best to make my life hell with lots of comments and actions undermining my new job position any way possible.
The ND knew this was happening and offered to fire the photog but that was the last thing I needed. If that photog got fired it would only cause more chaos in the staff and I'd look like a jerk and never get what I really wanted. Respect.
I told him no. I don't want the guy fired, or transfered, or whatever. Leave him alone and I'd handle it by doing my job the best I could for the betterment of all.
I learned patience. I learned a lot about people. I learned so much that first month. A lot of stuff I wish I'd never had to learn but it did make me a better manager as well as a better person.
In a few months things calmed down. My actions as chief were slowly acknowledged as being fair. As fair as anything can be in a newsroom environment.
I spent five years as chief. A great period of my life and I made some life long photog friends there who I still cherish to this day. Good talented people who taught me a lot. Not just about being a manager but being a better photog as well.
Lots of people think the chief needs to be the best photog in the building. I don't think that's true. I think you need a team where everyone is "the best". I had the best of both worlds because I could better myself on so many levels working with other talented, experienced photogs. Those lessons continue to pay off for me to this day when I deal with clients or people I hire.
I'm hoping my experience is the exception to what other chiefs experienced during their first days on the job but I'd love to hear what the rest of you did.
What would you do differently on your own first day as Chief? Anything? A lot depends on the situation you are in but I thought I'd share my own experience since so much on this site seems more focused on getting the job or handling basic chief jobs like scheduling and purchasing.
Has the chief photog position you hold lived up to what you thought it was supposed to be?
In the end, I missed being out on the street "doing the job". I liked being chief but I have more fun covering news, doing what I love most. Shooting and getting the rush of a job well done at the end of each and every day without having to worry about everyone else.
I'm not a selfish guy but I know what it is that puts a smile on my face when I'm wanting to earn a paycheck.
Best to all.
[ July 21, 2005, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: Lensmith ]