My topic is Yearbook, and my essential question is: What is most important to producing a successful yearbook? My first answer was consistency, as in, making sure that everything stays solid throughout the book. My second answer is definitely a good staff and staff management. Each year, we get a wave of new kids, kids that we have to train in the ways of general yearbook, and in the ways of that years' specific book. Not only that, but you really have to figure out what makes them tick. On the way, there's a few challenges. We always have two kids, or three at the most, paired up with each other, usually a writer and a photographer. The first challenge, at the beginning of each semester, is figuring out who will work well together. After that, you have to use your people skills to the max: praise good work, give careful, constructed criticism where improvement is needed. Making your staff work means making your staff feel loved - which also means they'll feel more guilty if you're disappointed in them. It has to be a careful balance - "Kind, but firm," as said by Strand. The difference between books with good staff management and bad staff management is painfully clear; when (personalish story that I don't want floating around on the internet), "I feel kinda bad for them," said Will afterwards. "I mean, we don't really have that problem of us doing absolutely everything. Our staff works like clockwork." We had certainly gotten the better staff. But we also had better leaders.
Something like this.
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