Tales of a serial prankster: Turning the boss’s office into a fun & inviting place
In the sweet leisure of his retirement — if you don’t count the chemotherapy — former Poynter president Jim Naughton has penned a 257-page opus titled “46 Frogs: Tales of a Serial Prankster.”
Without the help of WikiLeaks or Romenesko, sources at Poynter have gotten their hands on one of the few available copies produced by Naughton himself. In spite of its playful title, Naughton’s professional memoir describes his experiences in such influential jobs as White House correspondent for The New York Times; managing editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer; and president of The Poynter Institute.
From his earliest days in journalism to his retirement four decades later, Naughton has littered American highways and byways with the detritus of his practical jokes. Some cost hundreds of dollars. Others tiptoed up to a line labeled “Against the Law.” And almost all involved animal husbandry, a circus cavalcade of dinosaurs, gorillas, elephants, camels, goats, sheep, chicken, crabs, and, of course, frogs.
The stories are entertaining enough. As beast fables they carry real lessons, about journalism and leadership, about life itself. Members of the Poynter faculty have mined this material and come up with a handful of gems. Over the next four days, Poynter.org will share some of Naughton’s stories in his own words. We will also explore what contemporary leaders can learn from such eccentric parables.
For the rest of the story go to http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/leadership-management/118951/tales-of-a-serial-prankster-turning-the-boss-office-into-a-fun-inviting-place/
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