A lesson from leaving McClatchy

There's no more potent force in work and life than validation.

Friday was my last day at McClatchy Newspapers.

After five years and 10 months — a period which encompassed a company bankruptcy, the sale to a hedge fund, a half dozen different editors, three loosely defined beats (political, congressional and White House correspondent), two CEOs and one logo refurbishment — my time with the newspaper company ends … with a sigh of relief.

I feel fortunate to have exited on my own terms before it was left to unforgiving industry headwinds and a C-suite determination on dispensability. The once vibrant Washington bureau that employed around 30 journalists when I came aboard in 2019 is now down to four. The writing’s been on the wall for awhile now; I just needed a new