Jill Geisler

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity at Loyola U Chicago. Journalist since she could write. Author: Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know

Featured in: Favicon

forbes.com Favicon

usatoday.com Favicon

jsonline.com Favicon

poynter.org Favicon

clarionledger.com Favicon

cjr.org

editorandpublisher.com Favicon

hfma.org

salinapost.com Favicon

nnaweb.org

Articles

Jill Geisler: Why DOGE’s firing fiascos can create trickle-down distrust

3 weeks ago | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

We work hard to create atmospheres where people enjoy coming to work, get feedback that matters, deliver results — and trust their leaders. Trust matters. It’s tough to earn and easy to lose. All it takes is a few bad decisions. That’s why I’ve been appalled at the treatment of federal employees during the DOGE rampages. This is not a political issue. It’s purely about process.
Jill Geisler: Why DOGE’s firing fiascos can create trickle-down distrust

3 weeks ago | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

We work hard to create atmospheres where people enjoy coming to work, get feedback that matters, deliver results — and trust their leaders. Trust matters. It’s tough to earn and easy to lose. All it takes is a few bad decisions. That’s why I’ve been appalled at the treatment of federal employees during the DOGE rampages. This is not a political issue. It’s purely about process.
Do you have the personality of a leader?

Mar 27, 2025 | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

Hello. I’m an ENFJ. I’m also a Parrot/Eagle. If you’ve taken various personality assessments, you know that those terms suggest I’m an empathetic, intuitive extrovert who’s imaginative, influential and inspirational.aAm I happy with that description? Sure. But does it mean I am a good leader? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s because you can’t predict someone’s leadership skills or success from a personality profile alone. Such instruments can be helpful and informative.
Jill Geisler: 10 ways to tell if you’re a successful leader

Jan 30, 2025 | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

Wouldn’t you like to know — with certainty — that your team truly values the way you lead and manage? It can be hard to determine. Your organization may conduct engagement surveys, but even those might not give you a clear answer. Engagement scores can be affected by economic downturns or corporate changes beyond your control. One lone curmudgeon on a team can bring down an average score.
Jill Geisler: Does your business etiquette need a tuneup?

Nov 25, 2024 | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

Like so many columns, this one started with a question from my editor: ‘Is business etiquette still relevant today or is it an outdated concept?’My first thought was to take a pass on that topic. Who am I to decide? But after giving it more thought, I realized that many of the issues managers raise in my classes and my coaching are directly related to that seemingly old-fashioned notion of etiquette.
How newsroom leaders can guide their teams through uncertainty and fear

Nov 12, 2024 | pressclubinstitute.org | Jill Geisler

By Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership and Integrity, Loyola University Chicago Published November 12, 2024 Updated November 12, 2024 Confront the reality, based on past experience, of an administration that may be hostile to a free and independent press. Tell people you won’t stand down on values. You won’t self-censor. You won’t doubt whether the First Amendment matters any more. You won’t be bullied.
10 resolutions for managers leading newsrooms in 2017

Oct 6, 2024 | cjr.org | Jill Geisler

Sign up for The Media Today, CJR’s daily newsletter. The new year demands extraordinary newsroom management skills and strategies as an unorthodox, media-bashing president takes office. The Trump administration will challenge norms of engagement with both the public and the press, and may execute on its promise to revise existing laws and policies, making high-quality journalism more important than ever. Here’s a call to action for newsroom managers, laid out in 10 resolutions:1.
Jill Geisler: 10 questions for leaders who want to be better delegators

Sep 25, 2024 | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

Ask managers how they’re doing these days, and you’re likely to get the universal answer: “Busy. Really busy.”Today’s leaders must navigate meetings, projects, personnel issues, paperwork, planning, hiring, coaching, strategizing — and putting out the inevitable fires. But when a well-meaning person says, “Maybe you could delegate a few things,” it can frustrate the manager. That’s because delegation isn’t so easy.
Jill Geisler: Leadership is the best antidote to office politics

Jul 31, 2024 | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

I’m accustomed to hearing people refer to office politics when talking about challenges at work. It’s a negative descriptor, one that implies success is determined by game-playing. Such games may involve deception, information hoarding, power plays, sucking up, passive aggression, opportunistic coalitions, backstabbing and hidden agendas. People see or suspect that others are doing these things and must decide whether to play — or pass.
How to give feedback to your boss

May 31, 2024 | hfma.org | Jill Geisler

It was a wonderful event. The executive who promoted me and other women into management when it was still a rarity (this was the early ‘80s) was receiving an award for his efforts. In his acceptance, he told the audience, “You’re honoring me for being selfish. I want only the best people on my team, and I hire accordingly.”My fellow female colleagues and I were so darn proud to work for him. And I was struck by the authority and authenticity he brought to his speech that night.