So, I’m nervous about the new job–excited and terrified. I just don’t want to fuck things up for our authors. I think I have a good handle on the job, but I’m going to be so slow at it for a while. And I don’t want to make decisions about things like whether I have time for Pith until I have a good idea about how much time things are actually going to take.
And I’ve never been someone’s direct supervisor before, and now I’ll be two people’s. And again, I want to be a good boss. I think my boss has been really awesome and generous about making sure I’ve gotten opportunities and learned things and I just want to be like that myself.
Tiny Cat Pants 
B-Congratulations on the promotion! I should have picked it up from the bio you sent for judging the Kay Nelson Essay Prize. I know you’ll do well, and do good by others. Here’s what I learned from my stints as women’s studies director and department chair: the best things you can do with your colleagues are listen and share, and value transparency–tell them why you are doing what you are doing. Trust that folks will do their jobs rather than suspect them of always slacking off or fucking up. Get back to people immediately, if only to acknowledge you received something and will address whatever they want from you more fully when you have more time. But you know what tells me you’ll do a good job? That you’re worried about doing a good job.-A
Thanks, A.