Session focuses on stress, success

JULIO CORTEZ/LATINO REPORTER DIGITAL
Bernadette Gonzales Garcia, an editor for
the Santa Fe New Mexican, laughs at a
session on leadership with less stress.

By Gloria Romano
Latino Reporter Digital Staff

“Don’t assume that what motivates you motivates everyone,” advised Jill Geisler, leadership and management group leader at The Poynter Institute earlier today at the Leadership: Less Stress, More Success workshop.

“Our purpose is to help leaders in organizations support journalists in doing their work and to recognize that each one of us is different in our needs for motivation,” she said. Poynter, a school for journalists, is located in St. Petersburg, Fla.

According to Geisler there are two types of motivation. One type is extrinsic motivation, which consists of fame, promotion and awards. “It is the absence of getting yelled at,” she said.

The second type is the intrinsic motivation, which is identified by four key elements.

• Confidence: I am good at what I do, and want to do it.
• Choice: I want to do this for a project, and I will do it.
• Meaningfulness of the work itself.
• Progress

“There are some things that motivate us all, and there are some things that are unique to each and one of us,” Geisler said. “The best thing you can do is to ask questions, and find out about them.”

Bernadette Gonzales Garcia, a Neighbors/Teen Section editor at The Santa Fe New Mexican said the day-long workshop was very informative.

“I am trying to figure out many ways to communicate to people that I supervise in a way that I am talking to them and not at them,” Garcia said. “Hopefully I can also learn to earn the respect of my peers as a leader.”

Mariel Fiori, Managing Editor at La Voz also considered the workshop very helpful. “I never thought of motivation and now I will start using these tips at work,” she said.