I spent a decade in newsrooms as a producer on TV and digital. What I learned there has shaped my leadership style more than any management textbook. Journalistic habits are a powerful set of tools for making sense of messy, complex situations, and they’re just as useful in business as they are in the field.

Here are five that I keep coming back to.

1. Fact-check everything

AI can generate strategy docs, slide decks, even vision statements. But the output still needs human scrutiny. Think of it like an intern’s first draft. It might be fast and helpful, but you’re not going to let it out the door without casting your eyes over it.

Is it accurate? Does it fully reflect both the context and your intent? Does the evidence stack up? Remember what every teacher ever told you: back up your arguments with evidence. Take fact-checking seriously and you’ll earn trust; from your team, your board, and your customers.

2. Look for other voices

Good journalists never rely on a single source. They gather different views, test assumptions, and push beyond the obvious.

The same mindset helps leaders make better decisions. If everyone around you agrees, it’s time to widen the circle. Get curious. Listen harder. You’ll end up with more robust thinking and fewer nasty surprises down the line.

3. Sharpen your strategy with empathy

Strong journalism starts with empathy: understanding the motivations behind what people say and do.

In business, that skill helps you grasp what your team really needs, what your customers value, and what’s holding people back. It’s how you build products people want, cultures people believe in, and plans that actually land.

4. Cut the clutter

Journalists lead with the headline. They tailor the depth of the story to the audience. Good leaders do the same.

Your senior stakeholders may not have time for a ten-page deck. Your ops team probably doesn’t want your soaring vision statement every single time you talk to them. Know what matters to whom, and match your message to their mindset. And whatever you say, back it up.

5. Create the conditions for candour

The best interviews only happen when interviewees trust the journalist to reflect their words faithfully.

That same trust powers high-performing teams. When people know you’ll listen fully and follow through, they speak up. They share ideas, raise red flags, and help you get it right. As a leader, it’s your job to create that space and honour it.

Thinking like a journalist means being curious, clear, and credible. It means applying editorial discipline to how you think, decide, and communicate as a leader. When you operate in a way which is well-structured, substantiated, and purposeful, you cut through the clutter and earn attention. That’s what builds trust, and that’s what gets results