Be a host leader, not a hero

The National Equity Project helped us better understand how individuals want to feel about their work and how teams can develop over time. As an organization, NEP’s goal is to improve outcomes for the historically underserved — similar to many journalists’ aspirations to contribute to their communities.

Erik Fermín, senior equity leadership consultant for NEP, co-led the “Designing and Facilitating Meetings for Equity” training. He explained that leaders who act as hosts — rather than experts, managers or heroes — connect people to what they care about, ask thoughtful questions, and have the courage to motivate people to try new things and take risks.

“In a mission-driven news organization, the ability to host meaningful and authentic conversations in ways that surface many perspectives and ideas is critical,” he said. “Host leaders help people connect to what matters to them — their why — in ways that enable genuine dialogue, unlock collective wisdom, and transform individual passion into shared purpose and meaningful impact.”

This “hero to host” dichotomy was outlined in a 2010 essay about leadership in the age of complexity by Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze.

Historically, news organizations encourage journalists to go above and beyond to meet the demanding news cycle and push through the constraints of limited resources. As journalists and business professionals grow into leadership roles, the job often calls on them to save the day by making seemingly impossible things a reality — like getting stories in under tight deadlines and meeting high-stakes fundraising goals.

But this way of working is not sustainable, as shown in the recent RJI report, The Burnout Crisis in Journalism. News leaders can better care for themselves and others by approaching their responsibilities with a “host” mindset. As explained in Wheatley and Frieze’s essay, host leaders invest in meaningful conversations to harvest new insights and find ways to take action.

“They trust that people are willing to contribute, and that most people yearn to find meaning and possibility in their lives and work. And these leaders know that hosting others is the only way to get complex, intractable problems solved.”

Try it out now

• Nurture talent and potential: Instead of developing competencies in your staff by throwing them into the deep end of the proverbial pool, nurture their talent and potential through coaching and mentorship. Delegate challenge assignments like leading part of a project, meeting or presentation and then provide specific feedback. For more seasoned staff, ask them what support they need from you and check in about how their needs have changed.
• Build your bench: Provide conditions where people can share ownership of the work and build trust in one another. Prioritize cross-training and documentation so team members can take time off to rest and attend to their needs. Communicating early and setting expectations also helps to get buy-in and support from those who can occasionally fill in tasks and responsibilities for their colleagues.
• Honor the difficult work: According to Wheatley and Frieze, host leaders “value conviviality and esprit de corps.” These aren’t “false rah-rah activities, but the spirit that rises in any group that accomplishes difficult work together.” Trust can also grow when teams celebrate wins and acknowledge challenges as they come. This model of leadership can thrive in news organizations when everyone can take steps to be a host for others.
• Center yourself by asking “Why”: Leading with equity often means starting with the question of “why,” then asking “how,” and then deciding “what” the work can look like. Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle tool illustrates how this approach can help any team center their work. Relevance and impact are paramount to journalists, but newsrooms tend to start their work with “what” — like a story to chase or a goal to meet. News leaders can benefit from first identifying the real purpose and motivations behind a project, which can drive the work forward and motivate the people making it happen.