‘Stand for truth’: 3 post-election tips for news leaders 

By Mizell Stewart III, leadership coach & consultant at Emerging Leaders, LLC, and professional-in-residence in the School of Media and Journalism at Kent State University



Give your team time and space to process their emotions. Some of your folks may experience a bout of post-traumatic stress driven by memories of the relentless news cycle during the first Trump administration, not to mention being labeled “an enemy of the American people.”

While those days may indeed return, reflecting on how we got through that period — with mutual support and an intense focus on our mission as journalists — can become a source of strength.

Three tips for newsroom leaders:

• Help your people prepare for what may lie ahead. For example, brush up on digital and physical security precautions if you did not during the run up to Election Night. We develop resilience by facing our fears and taking deliberate action, not being consumed by worry.

• Prioritize self-care. We have many more ways to deal with stress than our forebears, whose idea of blowing off steam was limited to knocking a few back at happy hour. The first thing I did on the morning after Election Night was a walk with a neighbor and good friend where we talked about everything but politics. Whether it is regular workouts, time with family, or making the most of your time off, putting yourself first enables you to do the work of the people at the highest level. Set that example for your team.

• Stand for truth. What team members want most of all from their leaders is courage and clarity. You can stand for truth and produce journalism with fairness, balance, and impact. Standing for truth means trusting your people and standing by them when critics yank their arrows from their quivers. No leadership behavior has quite the impact of what people feel when you have their backs.