The best, most effective leaders are those who are aware of their strengths and weaknesses, listen well and surround themselves with great people who will speak honestly, and generously share their ideas, advice and gifts. As the editor of the Presbyterian Outlook, I am surrounded by great people. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be introducing you to a few of our amazing, dedicated Outlook staff.
Much like any close group of colleagues, Outlook staff has our own work culture, jokes and ways of supporting each other. Most Friday afternoons, I can be found typing on my laptop at a horse farm near our home in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
This is where my daughter takes riding lessons. This is also where Sophie, a heavy-breathing, French bulldog, noses her way into my workspace, climbing on top of the picnic table to place a muddy paw on my keyboard. She’s quite the attention hog. Every time Sophie pays me a visit, I text a picture of her to Rose Schrott Taylor, our digital content editor, and Shani McIlwain, our director of community engagement, to “complain” about my working conditions.
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 | | Sophie, French bulldog and aspiring Outlook staffer |
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General Assembly was a true bonding experience for our staff, especially since it was the first time many of us met in person. We rented a huge, old home in Louisville for a week where the coffee pot worked as hard as we did, and I got to know everyone’s food preferences for grocery store runs. Rose eats yogurt and granola for breakfast. Shani loves Coffee Mate’s vanilla bean creamer for her coffee, which she describes as a “hug in a mug.” And Outlook National Reporter Leslie Scanlon makes an amazing derby pie — which doubles as a wonderful dessert and breakfast.
When I began as editor, it quickly became clear the Outlook needed a sustainable staffing structure that would honor our dedicated employee’s time and energy and not lead them to burnout. We’ve reconfigured many of our existing positions and we’ll soon welcome a new full-time managing editor to our team. Also, every summer you’ll notice the Outlook staff observing a week of sabbath “shut down” time — a necessary addition to our non-stop, fast-paced, deadline-driven work. We take the care and well-being of our staff seriously, not only because they are great people, but because the work they do is so important for the life and ministry of our church.
As the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s only independent, self-sustaining publisher, reader support makes our work possible. If you’ve benefited from the Outlook’s mission and ministry, I hope you’ll consider an end-of-year tax-deductible gift. Help us secure the legacy of the Outlook so we can share our Presbyterian stories for years to come.
Gratefully, |
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Teri McDowell Ott,
Editor/Publisher, the Presbyterian Outlook |
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