One of the hardest conversations a comms manager can face is with a spokesperson who has just messed up a media interview.
Sometimes it is the spokesperson who believes the interview has not gone well but there are other occasions when you have to tell someone, normally in a senior role, that the interview didn’t quite go to plan.
I have faced both scenarios (on several occasions) and it can feel pretty awkward.
But it is also vital concerns about interviews, both from spokespeople and comms teams, are raised because all organisations need confident spokespeople who they can rely on when speaking to the media, whether it is on a proactive subject or a crisis media management situation.
So what should you do when a spokesperson messes up an interview?
Here are our recommendations:
Look for the positives: We’re not condoning ignoring the negative here. We’re simply saying that there is no benefit in destroying someone’s confidence once they’ve made a mistake. After all, It is extremely unlikely that the whole interview went badly. So start by encouraging you spokesperson to think about what went well. Maybe they started the interview really strongly, backed up a key message with a good example or took control with a good bridge.
Listen and watch the interview again: This may sound painful for the spokesperson, and they may need some convincing, but listening back and watching the interview again can help identify exactly what went wrong. Perhaps they lost control of the interview and simply responded to the questions they were asked. Or maybe there was an issue with the messaging. Reviewing the interview with your spokesperson could also help them identify ways to avoid making the same mistakes again.
Ask the journalist for feedback: If you know the journalist well and they regularly work with your organisation, consider asking them to give some feedback to your spokesperson. They may have a different interpretation of how the interview went and could provide some useful advice. After all, if they work with you regularly it is their interests to be speaking to confident and coherent spokespeople.
Think about the audience: If your spokesperson failed to deliver a key message perfectly would the audience notice? Will it affect the way they think about your organisation? What may feel like a big mistake in the middle of an interview may feel largely irrelevant to the audience, and may well pass them by altogether. It’s important that you help the spokesperson to put their mistake in context.
Ask what they need to help them develop: It is important to understand what your spokesperson feels they need to prevent a similar mistake in the future. It could simply be more practice or further media training. But they may also feel they don’t have enough case studies and examples to stay in control of the interview or maybe that they were not prepared for likely negative questions. Additionally, they may have been thrown by the format of the interview. For example, a down-the-line interview where you are tucked away in a remote studio can feel particularly uncomfortable, while a sofa interview can easily lead spokespeople into a false sense of security.
Don’t dwell on the mistake: The most important thing is to stop your spokesperson from dwelling on the mistake. Even the most experienced and accomplished of media spokespeople will sometimes make mistakes. It is also unlikely you spokesperson will make the same mistake again, so work to keep their confidence up and encourage them to focus on the next interview.
What advice would you give a spokesperson who just messed up an interview? Let us know your views in the comments box below.
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