Deadlines! Wednesday Post

Deadlines are insane. When making a 495 page yearbook in hopes of covering 3,000 students, it's with no doubt a challenge. And it also with no doubt leads to stress, conflict, and occasionally some last minute editing at 3am. Having been an editor this past year and a staff member for my first 2 years on my high school yearbook staff, I've definitely noticed that it's the leadership style that determines the success of deadlines. My freshman year was the best because we met all of our deadlines at good times. The seniors were firm and direct, yet encouraging. However, my junior year was a little messy because the seniors were not as engaged or committed. With a larger staff and less direction, deadline completions began looking like scrambled eggs- all over the place. Of course, the book came out beautiful (thank God) as it usually somehow does. However, far more tears and raised voices went into it. This year, as I assume the Co-Editor in Chief position, I hope to improve team communication and generate more momentum in terms of the SPEED of work completion. That was one our major issues this past year. Because the seniors were sometimes slow and set a lethargic example, newbies and veterans alike began to follow along. This just goes to show that effective leadership is the most important component of a successful deadline. Plus, the more deadlines we make, the more deadline PARTIES we get!:) Incentives work wonders in a room full of girls.