Women With Impact #35 - Rosalind Mathieson
Welcome back to Women With Impact, a newsletter all about the journeys of mission-driven women and how they have a positive impact in our world.
I’m Clara Richter and this is the 35th edition of Women With Impact. If you enjoy this issue, please share it with a friend and like it above.
For this edition, I interviewed Rosalind Mathieson, News Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Bloomberg. Based in London, Rosalind has a background in journalism, mainly focusing on international affairs. Among other big news stories, she has been reporting on this year’s big election year, including what the rise of local hard-right parties and complex regional military conflicts mean for the global political landscape. Prior to Bloomberg, Rosalind was working as a journalist at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal. All her latest pieces can be found here.
Wishing you a pleasant read!
Best,
Clara
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The Journey
Who are you and how do you spend your time?
My name is Rosalind Mathieson. I am an Australian living in London after many years in Singapore. I’ve been a journalist throughout my career, at Dow Jones/the Wall Street Journal and for over a decade at Bloomberg. I am currently the News Director for EMEA, where I help bring together our coverage of the biggest and most powerful stories. Previously I oversaw Bloomberg’s political news globally. I am a mother of two and like many of us always trying to figure out how to squeeze the most out of time!
What do you think is most important in creating positive change?
It sounds trite but I think it's about being the example of what you are trying to achieve. Showing through doing. And allowing the space for others to feel heard. One challenge in a fast-paced news environment is slowing down enough to listen and reflect. But it makes our work better and our colleagues feel valued. And positive change to me is about taking risks and showing to others that is ok for them to do the same - we won't always get it right but we also won't know if we don't give it a go.
What is a recent success you are proud of?
Part of my job is to bring the various elements of our newsroom together - the beat teams and bureaus as well as our digital team, our TV and radio groups. To show the benefits of collaboration on big breaking stories as well as our most ambitious interviews and projects. I am really proud of the team I work with for knocking down walls in that regard.
The Lessons
What has been the most rewarding experience on your journey?
I still get the greatest kick out of seeing us break a big story or deliver an influential news feature or project that gets a lot of attention. And by that I mean seeing the reporters who have worked so hard enjoy that success and sense of achievement. I have especially enjoyed working with younger or less experienced reporters, or those in remote or smaller bureaus around the world, and seeing how excited they are when they get a byline on a major story. It is very rewarding sharing in those moments.
What’s a challenge you have encountered most often and how did you tackle it?
One challenge I've faced in the past few years has been how to help manage our coverage of conflict and war at a news organisation primarily geared for financial, business and markets news. There have been no easy answers. I've tackled it by asking a lot of honest questions and being upfront about what I don't know. And by acknowledging to our reporters and editors that it is not easy -- in some ways that has been the most important part of it, saying that out loud and encouraging people to feel they can talk about it in an open but respectful forum. Then sticking to our core principles of accuracy and fairness.
What is the best advice you have been given recently?
Make the most of the down time as well as the big moments. It's something I've also talked about with my daughter as she starts her own career. I worry we're not always honest with younger people that the reality is some work days are mundane, repetitive, a bit dull. And that is ok. Use those days as opportunities to hone your craft and build your body of work. Don't stay in a job that destroys your soul. But don't expect every day to be a magic land of absolute happiness.
The Inspiration
What resource do you think more people should make use of?
Their elders! In many cultures there has been and still is a sense of harnessing the learned experience and wisdom of those who are further along in their lives. I feel in the workplace some of that value is simply ... lost. Older workers can feel relegated when they still have a lot to share.
And more broadly I think it's about making use of the people around you. In any workplace you need guides, mentors, trusted colleagues you can vent to and sound out on tricky issues. I don't always see people taking the time to build those internal networks. There is a huge amount of value in them.
Who inspires you on your journey the most?
I've been fortunate throughout my career to have had wonderful bosses from whom I've learned a lot and who have supported me on my own path. I've taken some key learnings from each of them and applied those as I've gone into various managerial roles both at the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.
I am inspired by my colleagues (both at Bloomberg and at other media outfits) who do fearless and important reporting in tricky parts of the world where probing journalism is not always welcomed. The work of journalists in many countries is increasingly questioned and downright dangerous. Even in democracies there is a growing cynicism about the media. And yet I remain in awe of the talent, persistence, scrupulous ethics and all-round camaraderie and good humour of the journalists I've worked with over the years. I mean if you're going to stand outside a building for eight hours in freezing rain just to try and get a comment out of a key government official you do feel you're all in it together!
Enjoyed this or have any feedback? Let me know in the comments!
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