The Inquisition
The run-up to Christmas can feel like you are facing a Jeremy Paxman style inquisition at times with questions repeated and repeated until a satisfactory answer is provided. Younger inquisitors might ask ‘Mummy / Daddy, why does Father Christmas use the same wrapping paper as you?’ or ‘How does Santa get into the house when we don’t have a chimney?’
While a partner fearing spending the festive season with your family might ask ‘why do your parents hate me?’
The key, like getting ready for a media interview, is to prepare as soon as possible for the all the curve ball questions your think might come your way and know how you will respond and the messages you want to get across.
The Office Christmas Card Dilemma
To send or not to send that is the question. Do you run the risk of upsetting someone in the office by missing them off the Christmas card list. Will an email do? Or a Text message? Or perhaps you’d just rather donate money to charity than have to deal with all these questions.
Office politics can be a minefield at the best of times let alone when we are all supposed to be wishing everyone goodwill despite hating them for 11 months of the year (not the case at Media First of course where we’re all one happy family!).
Our advice is that if you choose to break tradition be open and honest about it.
In the same way it is normally beneficial in a crisis media management situation to break your own bad news, let your colleagues know early on that you are not sending cards this year.
Staying quiet and hoping they don’t notice is destined to end in failure.
The Long Distance Family Reunion
Chances are we all have that one relative or friend who is (un)fortunate enough to be unable to make the family Christmas party.
But thanks to tools like Skype and FaceTime we are still able to see their pretty little faces full of festive cheer.
These channels are now often used in media interviews and if you will be using them over the Christmas period it is well worth following one of our golden rules – always check your background.
For example if a sex toy can be seen in the background – as it once was in an infamous BBC News interview – your elderly relatives might be reaching for the sherry a bit earlier than is advisable, and some plausible explanations about the need for a ‘pink space rocket’ will be urgently needed for the younger members of the family.
We’d love to hear your tales of when your media skills have saved the day or helped you out of a potentially awkward situation in your personal life. Let us know on adam@mediafirst.co.uk.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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