Thread by @jeffjarvis

At #OxfordLibrary700, the NYT's Mark Thompson connects journalism and libraries as the late James Carey did: "in the wake of conversation we have need not only of the press but also of the library."

Thompson says when he arrived the digital transition at The Times was stalled and marginalized. "Digital people were the most frustrated people in the building." #OxfordLibrary700

The issue of how to make digital central is core to why so many legacy news organizations are stuck and overtaken by insurgents, says Mark Thompson. #OxfordLibrary700

Paradoxically, one of the first things Thompson did when he arrived at The Times was to make a print division to show it was only part of The Times. "What we shouldn't do is privilege print." #OxfordLibrary700

"You have to start prioritizing the future over the past and even the present," says Thompson. #OxfordLibrary700

"A tiny proportion" of the staff at The Times could continue to product print and the vast majority -- 70-80% of staff -- could focus instead on the future, says Thompson. #OxfordLibrary700

When he arrived at The Times, at 7 a.m. about the only people in the newsroom were people vacuuming it, Thompson says. 7 a.m. had to become the new prime time as people woke up to news on their phones, says Thompson. #OxfordLibrary700

The Times tried extensive retraining, Thompson says, but he makes clear that getting new people mattered. 70-80% of the advertising staff changed, for example, as did management. You can turn around a defeated army, he says, but not defeatist generals. #OxfordLibrary700

The Times recognized the need for change but translating that from "paralysis and anxiety" to innovation required much effort and change in management, Thompson says. #OxfordLibrary700 "Fresh faces, fresh voices" and people "not inculcated with psychological barriers to change."

Trying to change the "a-book" of the news report when it was the "holy of holies" was too difficult and so innovation and experiments had to happen around the edges and then people in the core would see and adapt successes, Thompson said. #OxfordLibrary700

In this great talk about change, Thompson retells the story of Cooking as a model for innovation for the newsroom. Then Dean Baquet came in the room and said "we're ready to play" and ready for "risk and experimentation." #OxfordLibrary700

"It's not an accident that change is hard." - Mark Thompson at #OxfordLibrary700.

"I begged, borrowed, and stealed from pretty much my first moment at The Times to make sure we were hiring, not firing journalists." - Thompson at #OxfordLibrary700.

Thompson tried to avoid pitched battles because the conservatives relished fights with the "crazy people who wanted to change the organization," leading to stalemate. So he tried to fight 10 battles at once to win 5 and "wear down the forces of opposition." #OxfordLibrary700

One of the ways to break down psychological barriers was to set crazy goals, Thompson says -- for example, the goal of 10 million digital subscribers. #OxfordLibrary700

"Giving people permission to hope, permission to believe in growth and the real possibility of success ... and the refounding of an institution with its same values, its values preserved" is key, Thompson says. #OxfordLibrary700

"Everyone in the organization can see you're laying your head on the block as well," Thompson says. #OxfordLibrary700

What a *terrific* talk about "the weapons and tactics of change" Mark Thompson just gave to librarians at #OxfordLibrary700. When the video comes online, recommend watching.