Dr. Kortni (00:00)
Welcome to the Compassionate Newsroom, your gateway to transforming the heart and soul of journalism. I'm your host, Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon. I'm a former news director and television reporter turned happiness scholar. Now I train news leaders and journalists worldwide, teaching them how to cultivate workplace wellbeing and resilience with positive psychology. Each week, join me as I share evidence-based strategies.
and talk with some of the most inspiring people in the industry, including news leaders, journalists, trainers, and mental health experts. Together we'll share actionable approaches to help you. Imagine a newsroom that not only cares about the story, but profoundly values the people behind them. A place where compassion is the competitive advantage. Don't just listen, become part of this transformative journey. Subscribe to and share The Compassionate Newsroom. Let's champion a more supportive,
healthier and happier newsroom culture, one episode at a time.
Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon (01:02)
Happy Wellbeing Wednesday. I'm your host, Dr. Kortni I am so happy that you're here. Well, I just returned from an incredible few days.
that reminded me of why this podcast, this movement exists and why it's so important. It started in New York City where I had the honor of speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, Emerging Journalists and Investigative Reporting Summit. And it was at the New York Times. I opened the event with a session about how the NABJ Wellness Task Force
was created to support our members' physical and mental health. And then something powerful was said during a panel that happened much later throughout the day. And a person shared, the NABJ Wellness Task Force shouldn't be the first line of defense. Hear that again. The NABJ Wellness Task Force shouldn't be the first line of defense.
It was a real reminder and I like to think of it as an invitation. One that I want to extend to you today because you're already doing the work.
You've made care part of your newsroom's culture. You've chosen empathy, you lead by example. But here's the question. And I want you to think about it. How do we turn your leadership, your leadership, into a movement? And that leads me to what came next. So after New York, I flew back to Charlotte, then...
drove more than three hours to Atlanta to speak at the Carter Center's executive forum for news leaders, where I trained news leaders on self-care and also talked about mental health first aid and the value of mental health first aid in terms of its certification and how it can help reshape the future of newsroom wellbeing. And we'll go into that certification and why it's a true game changer in the industry in our next episode.
But for now, I want to speak directly to you about what you're doing and how we can expand the reach. And this is what creating the ripple effect looks like. Mentor another leader. And I mean mentor another leader in your network who wants to prioritize well-being but doesn't even know where to begin. Your guidance could be their breakthrough.
Share your wins and your lessons learned, not just privately, but publicly. I actually love going on LinkedIn and checking out news leaders from all over the world that are sharing some of their incredible best practices as it relates to wellbeing. Your journey gives others permission to start their own. So remember that. Another is normalized care.
as culture, not crisis response. From onboarding to exit interviews, em bed check-ins, and speak to the whole human experience.
Plus, think about modeling vulnerability at the top. So when leaders speak openly about boundaries, or mental health, it signals something.
It signals safety for everyone else. Push for industry-wide standards, partner with organizations, associations, speak at summits, and advocate for newsroom metrics that value well-being.
So remember, you've already said yes to a better kind of leadership.
Now I just want you to invite others into it. Because when we do this work together, we just don't lead stronger teams. We build a stronger industry. Thank you so much for being a leader who doesn't just manage people, but who truly cares for them. Thank you for helping to create this ripple. I see you. I am grateful for you.
and stay tuned because in our next episode, we'll be diving deeper into mental health first aid for the newsroom, what it is, why it matters, and how it can be a pillar in terms of your leadership. Until then, I'm Dr. Kortni Always remember, your wellbeing is your most important job, and I'm always here to help.
Dr. Kortni (05:16)
for tuning into the Compassionate Newsroom podcast. Together we can transform workplace wellbeing in news. If you found value in today's episode, please share it with a colleague to help foster a supportive environment in the industry. And don't forget to subscribe and also visit our website for more resources at thecompassionatenewsroom.com.
