Keep your head screwed on straight: and don't retire without shooting all your bullets.

I've been an editorial page editor only six years, but in that time I've worked for three publishers. Each has been very different, as has each of the three news organizations--Central Newspapers Inc., Gannett, and now, Belo. In each case, I've thoroughly enjoyed the relationship and learned a great deal about different management styles.

Here are Five Tips that I've found help keep my head screwed on straight with regard to "who really calls the shots" I don't pretend this list is exhaustive, and it's clearly customized to my own needs and experiences, but here's hoping something in it that will be helpful to others.

TIP#1 Remember that it's not a democracy.

The editorial board is advisory to the editorial page editor, and the editorial page editor is advisory to the publisher (and/or the newspaper editor, depending on the newspaper).

If the editorial page editor has a good editorial board, one whose members come to the table with different perspectives and backgrounds and who respect one another and the need for the newspaper to be the very best leader for the community it can be, the editorial page editor will get sound advice. And it will be enriched for its diversity. The editor uses her best judgment based on this advice in shaping each editorial's message and tone. In most cases, even with ideologically diverse boards, a collaborative point of view can be reached. Once the editorial's content is defined, writers volunteer to write about whichever editorials appeal to them most.

(Notice that I emphasize a collaborative point of view as distinct from a consensus point of view. Collaborative means a variety of perspectives get heard and considered. The resulting decision is the better for this. Consensus suggests opinion-by-committee, a recipe for oatmeal editorials that offer tepid opinions with as much chance to inspire readers' passions as Justin Timberlake does world peace.)

The publisher, of course, is free to accept or reject the recommendation of the editor. I figure I'm paid to give publishers my best advice, and that's precisely what I try to do. Sometimes publishers have been skeptical of my recommendations, but in the vast majority of cases they've heard me out and allowed me my head. (If the publisher is constantly overruling the editorial page editor, one of them is miscast--and given the hierarchy, it's undoubtedly the editorial page editor.)

Clearly, for this system to work, the publisher must have faith in the editor--confidence that the editor and the board have carefully analyzed the situation, consulted the multiple sides in the debate, sought out additional information as needed, connected with readers, tested hypotheses, given readers a fair portrayal of differing points of view, and arrived at their recommendations fairly, honestly, and carefully.

In most cases, this advisory stuff works on autopilot. I don't make formal recommendations each day to the publisher on the next day's editorials. I simply email to my staff--with a copy to the editor/president and the publisher--daily "Edit Look Aheads" where I outline in a sentence or two the edits we're planning for the next several days. We're usually planned, at least tentatively, several weeks out. The lineup changes daily because of breaking news, of course, but it keeps everybody on track with what we're planning to say and why. Rarely do I hear any objections from the publisher with this sort of planning.

TIP#2 Treat the publisher as you would want to be treated if you were publisher.

Translated: Make sure the publisher is never surprised. If you know an editorial is especially controversial, make sure the publisher knows--in advance--how you got to the view you did and why it's the best view to have. Make sure he or she is well armed to deflect the angry calls from neighbors, business associates, a particular set of readers, of that pesky member of Congress.

I've even prepared briefing books for publishers, summarizing the board's positions on key issues as background for them so they understand the precedents.

Bottom line: Imagine you're the publisher taking that angry call. How would it feel to learn of your own paper's controversial position from the caller? What information would you want in hand for such a conversation?

TIP #3 Don't get in the habit of asking the publisher for advice or the publisher will get in the habit of giving it.

By this I mean do your job--surround yourself with people who can help you be the best you can be, make up your mind about what's the right thing to do and why it's the right thing to do, and present that to the publisher. Sticking a finger in the wind to see which way the publisher is leaning generally only gets a dry mouth and a wet digit.

If the publisher doesn't like the way you're headed, rest assured, he or she will tell you so. But expending time and energy trying to predict what a publisher wants is usually wasted time and energy.

A cousin of this axiom is: Better to beg forgiveness after the fact than to ask permission up front. (This assumes, of course, that you play the game fairly. See Tip #2.)

TIP #4 Be the sort of editor you wished you had before you were one.

Communicate openly, honestly. Listen carefully. Look for opportunities to cultivate talent. Lead by example. Consider new ideas and multiple options. Ask for help when you need it and admit error when you make mistakes. When you're ready, be decisive. Explain your reasons carefully, calmly, completely. Help others understand your reasoning.

Show leadership. Don't flinch from controversy--if nobody ever complains, you're not accomplishing anything meaningful. Remember: Hearing from readers about your editorials or cartoons is a good thing, even if they're angry. Sure, responding can be time-consuming and exasperating, but, hey, these are readers who care. We need more--not fewer--of them.

Help make those around you the best they can be. Creating opportunities for others to succeed generally assures that you will, too.

TIP#5 Keep a level head and have some fun.

We only go around once in life (apologies to Shirley McLaine), so we may as well make it worthwhile.

My current publisher subscribes to the philosophy that leaders have only a limited number of bullets in their belt. "Those bullets don't do you any good when you retire of die," the saying goes, "so you best start shooting them now."

Leave it to a Texan to talk guns and bullets. But it's good advice. You can't make a difference if you don't blast away every now and then.

Kevin Willey is vice president and editorial page director of the Dallas Morning News. E-mail [e-mail]