Cynopsis Q&A: TEGNA’s Lynn Beall Reflects on Her Dream Job at TEGNA

Honored by Cynopsis as a 2021 Top Woman in Media, TEGNA’s Chief Operating Officer Lynn Beall is a shining example of what it means to Be in Good Company. Today, she’s sharing meaningful career advice, the importance of local journalism, and what it takes to be a great manager.

Q: How did you get your dream job?

A: I’ve been in the broadcast business my entire career, and it has always been my dream job. Local journalism is so vital to communities, and it makes me incredibly proud to have worked at several local television stations across the country, including in St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Little Rock, and Cleveland. I’ve worked in marketing, programming, and sales positions before stepping into the president and general manager roles. Today, I am so fortunate to work with talented teams across the country at all our 64 stations as COO for TEGNA. 

The key for me has been developing the strongest team possible, creating a culture of results, and empowering people to do their best work. Having a positive attitude and looking at everything with a focus on what’s possible has helped me throughout my career.

Q: What’s the best career advice you ever got?

A: The best career advice I’ve received is that you can learn from a weak leader, but you will learn more from a strong leader, so do your very best to work with the strongest leader possible.

Q: What’s a good tip for job interviews?

A: First and foremost, do the little things right – be on time, be prepared and be yourself. Second, recognize that you need to make sure it is a team where you feel you can bring your authentic self to work and do your best work. This can sometimes be hard to know from the outside looking in but do your best to learn about the culture and people before you say yes to a role.

Q: What are the three most important qualities in a successful manager?

A: The three most important qualities of a successful manager are the ability to let others be their very best and shine, humility, and emotional intelligence. 2020 certainly challenged all of us – and we continued to feel those challenges well into 2021. I feel proud that the culture we’ve built at TEGNA held us together as we moved to remote work, including changing the ways we brought people vital and lifesaving news and information about COVID-19. I credit our strong team for their innovation and collaboration, but also for their emotional intelligence. They found new ways to check in with each other, celebrate successes, and keep their operations strong despite the challenges.