KNOWLEDGE MAKES PERFECT

"The best way to sound like you know what you're talking about is to know what you're talking about. " 

                                                           ~Author Unknown

In this much-parodied interview from 2007, Katie Couric talks with vp nominee and Alaska governor Sarah Palin about her foreign policy experience and Alaska’s proximity to Russia.   Palin looks unprepared and uninformed in this now classic CBS Evening News interview.  She could not bluff her way past being inexperienced on foreign policy.

Broadcast and cable news media thrive on pretty people sometimes saying inane things.  Granted not every potential spokesperson is telegenic, but in the absence of TV presence, knowledge and competence trump good looks every time.  Substance and ability to stay on message, deliver key points and connect with the audience/viewer are what matter most.   

In the hierarchy of company spokespersons, there may be subject matter experts who need to step in when interviews require specialized knowledge, beyond what the person at the top can deliver.  But at a minimum, a CEO must be competent to speak broadly on behalf of the company to the media, as well as clients, customers and other external publics.

But a word of caution—someone in engineering or the R&D side of the business may be weak on interpersonal communication skills. For all interviews, they should receive strong support for media techniques, messaging, and rehearsals; and full debriefing and coaching after engaging with the media. To keep interview skills current, reassessment and refresher training should be done every three to six months. 

In summary, it is wise to train the CEO in addition to several key specialists from the most important departments and divisions of an organization. The team approach to media interviews means you have an Exceptional Spokesperson on the bench whenever the need arises.

  

Guru of the Day

Ron Hoff, I Can See You Naked.   A timeless book on public speaking.

Myth: Once the interview is finished, you can relax with the journalist and let your guard down.

Reality: Anything you say before and after the interview is fair game.  Basic rule--if you don’t say it, it can’t hurt you. 

Link to Genius

From the 20 most watched TED Talks to date:

Elizabeth Gilbert on Genius. The author of Eat, Pray, Love, muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that all of us have genius.