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Q2. Looking back on your journey, what do you believe has been the biggest factor in your career growth?<\/h2>\n
Samantha Johnson:<\/strong> \u201cThe secret I would say is persistence. It\u2019s not allowing my ego to take over, because at some point in your career you\u2019re going to get humbled. You may walk into somewhere and think, \u201cHey, I know all this, it\u2019s all right, you don\u2019t have to tell me anything,\u201d but you will get humbled very quickly. It\u2019s about how you bounce back as well.<\/p>\n\u201cWhat\u2019s helped me is persistence, keeping my ego in check, being able to listen to other people. You\u2019ve got to listen to others. You\u2019ve got to have great mentors as well. I\u2019ve always had great mentors to help me along the way. I think those are the main components.\u201d<\/p>\n
Q3. As a broadcaster and journalist, what do you see as the secret to truly effective communication?<\/h2>\n
Samantha Johnson:<\/strong> \u201cThe key to effective communication \u2014 and we touched on it earlier \u2014 is actually listening. It\u2019s amazing what happens when you actually listen to other people. You can respond in the right way.<\/p>\n\u201cI would say emotional intelligence as well. That goes a very long way, especially when you work on a huge team. You have to understand that you can\u2019t treat everybody the same way. You can\u2019t talk to everybody in the same manner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s knowing more about that person, tuning in, and thinking: \u201cOkay, I can\u2019t say harsh words or be blunt with this person, so I\u2019ll do it another way. With this person I can just say, \u2018Okay, this is XYZ,\u2019 and then they get it.\u201d That\u2019s a really important and key way of communication.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just hope more people actually tune into that. In this day and age, emotional intelligence is key. It\u2019s very important, because we are in a tough environment and you don\u2019t know how people are dealing with it behind closed doors. Those are very important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Q4. What do diversity and inclusion mean to you personally, and why do you believe they are so important in today\u2019s workplace?<\/h2>\n
Samantha Johnson:<\/strong> \u201cDiversity and inclusion means everything to me. If it didn\u2019t, I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today. It\u2019s impossible for any organisation to thrive if you don\u2019t have a diverse company.<\/p>\n\u201cI work for an international news station. It\u2019s kind of impossible not to have a diverse newsroom. Imagine all the stories and the experience you get from people from different backgrounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you just have a newsroom or a room full of the same people, you\u2019re not going to grow, you\u2019re not going to learn anything. How are you supposed to move forward, how are you supposed to get creative, how are you supposed to get other ideas if everybody thinks the same? It\u2019s not going to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why we need more diversity and inclusion, and it has to come from a very genuine place. Because of what happened in 2020 with the Black Lives Matter movement, there are companies speaking up now saying, \u201cYeah, we believe in diversity.\u201d That\u2019s great, but what are you going to do about it? I said last year, \u201cOkay, let\u2019s see where we are in a year\u2019s time to see if you\u2019re backing your chat.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you believe in diversity and inclusion, then it has to be genuine. You can\u2019t fake it.\u201d<\/p>\n
This exclusive interview with\u00a0Samantha Johnson<\/a> was conducted by\u00a0Megan Lupton<\/a> of The Champions Speakers Agency.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\n by Vanely Barumire<\/span> for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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