Brian Williams Does the Right Thing - Finally

By Susan Tomai

Plenty of people have been known to embellish an oft-told tale at one time or another. But letting the facts get in the way of a good story doesn't cut it when you have millions of viewers who place their trust in you. Brian Williams either "mis-remembered" and "conflated"  essential information (as he claims) - or hubris led him to think that he could get away with telling something other than the truth. That's what the internal investigation at NBC News will try to nail down.

For now, Williams has made his first right move in this mess by taking himself off the air. Good crisis management demands that the person at the center of the storm apologize, and then take him or herself out of the spotlight, as Williams has now done.  Sadly, no matter what the investigation finds, Williams' credibility - and that of  NBC News - has taken a major hit.

Ramblin' Man - And Woman

By Susan Tomai 

“Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man…” - so sang Dickie Betts of the Allman Brothers Band back in ’73. And while the song may be a catchy bit of Southern-fried rock n’ roll, it’s bad advice for public speakers. In other words, don’t be ramblin’ when you’re speakin’ in public.

I’m often disappointed by the lazy interviews and speeches that prominent people deliver: meandering, too long, no particular point or message. To show real leadership, get to the point.  Always establish clear, concise, well though-out messages, and deliver them with passion and style.  Leave the ramblin’ to Dickie.

Oh No - They Didn’t Say That

By Susan Tomai

Imagine you’ve just given a presentation - perhaps it was to five people in a conference room, or 60 at a luncheon, or 1000 at a convention.  Now imagine that after your talk you wandered into the lobby and - poof - you turned into a fly on the wall. Let me ask you: what do you want to hear? How do you want your audience to describe you?  What adjectives do you want them to use? The words we hear from clients run the gamut - passionate, knowledgeable, powerful, likeable, funny, creative, edgy - so what are yours?  Stop being ordinary – be different. Before your next presentation, set a “desired impression” goal for yourself and work like heck to achieve it.

Please Rate Me? No, Thank You

By Susan Tomai 

I understand that airlines, hotels, retailers and other product and service providers want their customers’ feedback – but enough is enough. Every time I take a flight, spend the night in a hotel or buy something at the supermarket, I get “Do you mind taking a moment to answer some questions so we can improve our customer service?’ or  “Please rate our product!” or “Did you like our employees? Were they helpful?” etc. It’s annoying. And call me a cynic, but I’m not quite sure it’s really so much about “improving my customer experience” so much as it’s about trying to increase profits. And even worse, sometimes I get a “reminder” e-mail when I don’t respond, saying something like “Did you forget us?” No, I didn’t. Give me a break.

How’s this for an idea? Let’s have a lottery where only the winners, let’s say three big retailers a year, get to ask you for feedback.  This would limit the endless barrage of feedback requests to which I have now become immune. In fact, as a result of this overkill, my answer now is always “No Thank You” or “Delete.”

As I wrote this, I took a break and checked on CNN.com, which has a new online format.  But before I could even digest said new format, a box popped up asking me how I liked it! Of course, I checked the “x” to make it go away.

There was a time when feedback was directed mostly to my kids on the playground, shouting from the bleachers at a basketball game,  or reviewing a report card.  But all these needy organizations pelting us with their constant requests are becoming needier than any child – and frankly my dear, I don’t  give a damn. I’m already needed enough.

The “Stare-Down”

By Susan Tomai

The remote or “satellite”-style TV interview presents a unique set of challenges. Rather than looking into the eyes of an interviewer a couple of feet away, the interviewee must stare into the camera lens and hear the questions of the interviewer (who may be 1000 miles away) through an earpiece while delivering the key messages.  To put it mildly, this can be disorienting. So the objective is to maintain steady and confident eye contact with the camera and to tune out all distractions. Pretend you’re Clint Eastwood - the king of eye contact - and there’s a fistful of dollars waiting for you.

The conclusion of the interview can be particularly difficult, since there is an overwhelming temptation to exhale a tremendous sigh of relief, rip off the mike and run. Instead, the interviewee should remain calmly seated in the chair, maintain steady eye contact with the camera, and deliver what Oratorio calls “The Stare-Down.” In other words, after you’ve delivered your final point, just maintain a pleasant expression and look into the camera until the studio producer or videographer tells you are “clear.” Remember, the camera and the microphone are always on – and it’s essential to end the interview on a strong note.