I Think Not

By Susan Tomai 

Many speakers feel the need to preface statements with the words “I think, ” as in “I think we should work harder” or “I think the American people deserve more health insurance options.” Perhaps speakers do this because they worry that they’ll be perceived as arrogant or overbearing if they don’t. But their worry is misplaced.

“I think” only weakens a statement. The message is stronger and the speaker sounds like more of a leader if there’s no qualifier at the start of the sentence. So when giving a media interview or conducting a meeting or delivering a presentation, just say “We should work harder” or “The American people deserve more health insurance options.” Simple as that.

What Not To Wear

By Susan Tomai

A media interview can be fraught with challenges, which is why it’s important to spend time developing messages and practicing beforehand. But what you wear in the interview is just as important.

We’ve seen clients in ill-fitting suits, dresses that no longer fit, and crazy patterns that dance on the screen. Crisp simplicity is always best. For men, that usually means a well-tailored dark suit and a solid blue shirt (no stripes and no white shirts) with a straight collar rather than a button-down collar. Also, make sure your shoes are shined and your socks cover your ankles – nothing looks worse than a glimpse of skin between the top of the socks and the pants cuff.

Women should wear solid colors - suits and dresses with a pop of color and/or an interesting piece of jewelry. Don’t wear jewelry that makes noise – e.g., bracelets that clang. We also don’t recommend that women wear button-down shirts, as they tend to pull open. Women should pull a chair in front of a full length mirror and cross their legs to see if the length of a dress or skirt is suitable. Normally we recommend that an interview skirt or dress be longer than your regular office length.

It’s also important for both men and women to powder off that shine, which is exacerbated by studio lighting. In larger TV markets a make-up artist will do this for you, but in smaller towns you’re often on your own. No need for a major make-up job – just get a compact and a brush from the department store and brush the powder on lightly. Some of you (especially the guys) may feel a little funny doing this, but remember: your words in the interview might be positively riveting, but no one will hear them if you look shiny, sloppy or inappropriately dressed.

The Last Word

By Susan Tomai  A TV interview can be stressful - and to the interviewee, the ending is often a huge relief. But who controls that ending?

If you’re the one being asked the questions, take advantage of your opportunity to have the last word. This requires practice, and may even feel a little rude. If the interviewer says something along the lines of “Thanks for being here, we’ve run out of time” – you may think it’s inappropriate to say something more than just “Thank you for having me” before the show cuts to commercial or the next segment. But why waste an opportunity to repeat a message, reinforce your brand, or send the audience to your Instagram feed?

Here’s an example:

INTERVIEWER: Okay thanks, Catherine – appreciate you coming on the program but we’ll have to leave it there.

YOU: Thank you, Allison – it was great to have the opportunity to talk about the importance of XYZ – for more information go to XYZ.org.

The audience often remembers the last thing you say better than anything that came before – so make it count.

When Listening, Put On Your Game Face

By Susan Tomai

Before we conduct on-camera interviews in our media training sessions, we tell our clients to be animated and approachable when speaking, but to maintain a calm, steady, pleasant facial expression while listening to the question. No nodding, head-shaking or other reaction that would make them appear as though they’re agreeing, disagreeing, or passing judgment on the question – they should appear neutral until it’s their turn to speak.

We then ask them to describe the image they’d like to project while listening to the reporter’s questions. We often hear words like confident, calm, alert, knowledgeable. But then after we play back the video, we sometimes hear: “Why am I gritting my teeth? Why am I squinting, or tilting my head? Why do I look as if I smell something foul?”

We’ve interviewed hundreds of people over the years and we recognize that not everyone can easily put on a “positive listening face.” When listening to a question (particularly a difficult or provocative question), it’s hard to maintain the desired pleasant, somewhat noncommittal expression.

The best way to achieve this is to try to anticipate any question or comment that might elicit an unwanted reaction. Consider the topic of the interview and then brainstorm a list of all the possible “curveballs” – all the conceivable questions you hope won’t be asked - then have a colleague ask you those questions on camera. Conditioning yourself to remain composed in the face of challenging questions is a sure sign of a skillful spokesperson.

Ummmmm.......Uhhhhhh.........

By Susan Tomai

I hear too many “uhmms and uhhhs” in presentations and speeches. Not good. They usually come at the beginning of sentences, as the speaker is trying to remember what to say next. It’s a bad habit – it looks unprofessional - and one that most people don’t realize they have until they watch a video of their presentation.

So how to fix it? Prepare. Practice out loud. The better you know your material, and the more you repeat it in rehearsals before your real presentation, the fewer ummms and uhhhhs there will be. Why? Because you’ll know where you’re going. You won’t be searching for the next word and filling the silence with an ummm or an uhhhh until the word comes to you.

Having said that, the umms and uhhhs might still occasionally show up, even if you’re well-prepared. If that happens, don’t be afraid of silence. Rather than rushing into an ummm or an uhhhh, simply be comfortable with a purposeful pause before you begin speaking again. This actually looks good to the audience – you appear to be in control and taking your time – no hurry. And that’s a sign of real leadership.

So the next time you're preparing for a presentation or speech, video yourself - your smart phone will do the job fine. This way, you can see how guilty you are of ummmming and uhhhhhing - and you can fix the problem the next time.