It is not always the most hostile interviews that produce the trickiest questions for media spokespeople to answer.
It can often be a failure to spot a challenging question in a less confrontational interview, which provides the biggest pitfall.
Sometimes, these questions appear harmless, and the spokesperson doesn’t see the subtle sting in the tail until it is too late.
During our media training courses, we always stress the importance of preparation, and part of that should concentrate on identifying potentially risky questions.
That does not mean you have to painstakingly research and prepare for every possible question.
But you must be able to identify and prepare for the different types of questions that could be asked.
Here are seven of the trickiest questions we think you could face in your next interview:
“What would happen if…?” or “What would you do if…” is a type of question that regularly comes up in media interviews.
“What would happen if your strategy fails?”
Journalists love to speculate and invite their interviewees to do the same.
But predicting the future is an area fraught with danger for spokespeople.
You are being asked to speculate on something that is often controversial. That can add conflict to the story and distract attention away from the message you want to get across in your media interview.
The best approach is to stay in the present. Stick to facts and not indulge in any future gazing.
Personal questions can be especially tricky.
People don’t expect them.
They prepare for the interview and know the message they want to get across.
But they don’t consider how the subject could be turned to them.
And then a question that seems innocuous to those watching and viewing causes panic, confusion, and awkward answers.
Need an example? There have been some infamous ones over the years that we have highlighted in our media skills training blogs.
One of my favourites features Pontins boss Eileen Downey.
She appeared on the programme to respond to a report where more than 100 customers complained about bad smells, dirty bathrooms, holes in walls, and blood-stained bedding during their stays.
And the first question she faced was, “Where did you go for your holidays this year?”
A confused Ms Downey said she had been to Majorca. The interviewer, Anne Robinson, then had the opportunity to ask whether Ms Downey had experienced blood-stained sheets and holes in the sofa.
Come on Eileen.
Personal questions require careful consideration as part of media interview preparation.
If you work in finance, you could be asked about your savings, pensions, and spending habits.
If you work in the NHS, you might face questions about the last time you got a GP appointment.
And if you work for a holiday company, you may be asked about your latest trip.
There’s an argument we should have left this question type to last because it is asked at the end of interviews.
But it is one that often trips spokespeople up.
You’ve answered all the questions on the interview topic.
Then, as the interview draws to a close, the journalist asks something completely unrelated.
It’s topical and perhaps relevant to your sector, but nothing to do with what you want to discuss.
The key here is for spokespeople to ensure they are familiar with wider issues on the news agenda, particularly those connected to their sector, and know what they will say if the issue comes up.
It is also vital when answering this question that spokespeople do not say anything that may detract from the message they want to land.
Journalists will sometimes use negative phrases in their questions.
And often, the interviewee repeats this negative language, even when they are defending themselves and rebutting the accusation.
For example, you might be asked: “This is very disappointing, isn’t it? Aren’t you disappointed?”
And you answer: “I wouldn’t say it’s disappointing…” But you just have. The journalist’s negative language can now be attributed to you.
Whether it’s broadcast or press, they have a neat soundbite with you using their negative phrase.
So, when a question includes negative language, don’t repeat it.
The other way words can be put in your mouth is through paraphrasing.
This is where, at the end of an answer, the journalist replies, “So, what you are saying is…”.
Only accept the paraphrase if it fairly reflects what you are saying.
This is a type of question often faced by spokespeople during crisis media management incidents.
If something has gone wrong for your organisation - let’s say a data breach - you may be asked something along the lines of ‘how will you make sure this never happens again?’
Of course, you want to deliver a reassuring message.
But you also don’t want to commit to something you are unlikely to be able to live up to or that could come back to haunt you in the future.
So, avoid bold statements in your response which could be dug up from the archives if something similar happens in the future.
Instead, say something like, ‘We are determined to get to the bottom of what has happened’.
You’ll often see and hear spokespeople in interviews be asked a question about something a rival company has done.
And it can be very tempting to be critical.
But this temptation should be avoided. The interview is an opportunity for you to get your message across rather than wasting valuable media exposure talking about your rivals.
This is the one that causes the most fear.
What do you do if you are faced with a question you don’t know how to answer?
Well, the better you prepare, the less chance there is of this happening.
But it could still happen. So, what should you do?
During our media training, we stress that spokespeople should not be afraid to say they don’t know the answer to a particular question.
Of course, we all want to appear certain when we are in front of cameras and microphones. But sometimes, no matter how thoroughly you prepare, there may be a question you can’t answer.
Saying you don’t know feels open and honest – people value honesty.
But this approach must be used sparingly. Once, maybe twice.
It’s the overuse that impacts the perception of someone’s expertise. When someone is being interviewed, the audience wants to hear what they do know, not what they don’t know.
And this is why, when you say ,“I don’t know”, you should go on to say what you do know.
So, your answer would start something like: “I don’t know, but what I can tell you is…”.
And it is far better than getting drawn into speculating or ignoring the question, which makes spokespeople appear evasive and obstructive and frustrates audiences.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with nearly 40 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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