Who Are You?

How many times have you felt you had to be more serious at work than you are in real life? So many people seem to follow some sort of rule book about how one is expected to behave that they lose their personality along the way. In media interviews those who chose to hide their personality can come across as bland and boring.

Now bland and boring may keep you safe. You have a firm idea of what you want to say – almost scripted but not quite. You know how you want to come across when you say it – considered and credible. And you know that the last thing you want to happen is to say something, anything, which the journalist might pick up on to try to trip you up.

There are a few problems with being bland and boring. First of all the journalist, any journalist, is not going to be held back from giving you a hard time and difficult questions just because your answers are dull. You may think you are on safe ground when you talk about systems in place and procedures but the journalist and the audience have heard it all before. Have you anything you want to say to the family of Mrs Y about what has happened? This is often the question when the interviewee tries to give corporate and what are perceived as uncaring answers.

Secondly in a crisis situation or negative story you will most likely be hoping it will all go away quietly.  But those answers, bland or not, will still get replayed over and over again until the story is dropped in favour of something new. Of course you need to be careful about what you say but an answer with personality will allow the audience to know you care about the situation (assuming you do) and that you want to help (again assuming you do).

Thirdly when it comes to positive news stories do dump the corporate language and say something memorable. Do you remember answers filled with strategic initiatives or partnership working? Or do you remember answers talking about how many playgrounds are going to be built or being able to spend more money taking older people out on day trips? Of all the thousands of stories which land on the news editors’ desks every day the ones that have personality are the ones they are most likely to choose.

Make sure the person doing the interview is unafraid of being human too and showing their personality. Think about the interviewees we remember and those who are long forgotten. Personality counts. Be safe but make it work for you.