How do successful CEOs and politicians handle media interviews and other challenges of communications?
Those of us in the communications business often find we have a lot to learn from our clients. It is they, after all, who are in the line of fire, whether giving instructions to their teams or sitting down with journalists. And they do it day after day after day, throughout their tenure.
In the course of writing my French book on media training, Le Media Training, I interviewed several top-level executives (who lead companies we count among our clients) about their philosophy of communications and their best practices in handling communications challenges. The interviews were not about their role in the companies they led, or the companies themselves. These leaders, though now retired and no longer involved on a daily basis, have decades of experience, which you are sure to find useful and insightful.
This month, we share insights from an executive at one of the
giants among global marketing and communications agencies headquartered in Paris, who believes it’s not only what you say or how you say it, but also and why and when you say it that matters. In other words, choosing when NOT to speak is as important as giving that interview or speech.
Why Speak?
“A good communications strategy consists mainly of communicating when we really have to,” says our media executive. “It’s useless to talk about subjects in which we have no legitimacy or established point of view. We must beware of getting dragged into what I call a ‘media spiral.’ It is, therefore, necessary to pay attention and really review those requests, taking care not to speak too often or not enough.”
The caution here is to beware of the appeal to your own ego: it is very seductive to be sought after, but responding in the affirmative to every siren call can leave you floundering on the rocks! Learn to say “no” judiciously; seek advice when in doubt.
But what about those occasions when announcements are necessary, and sometimes difficult? “Certain appointments are mandatory,” our media executive acknowledges, “quarterly results, for example; these are key moments for the company. But there are also events or opportunities that must be avoided, even when they seem very attractive.”
To take an example: “The former President of l’Oréal told me one day that he had been invited the next day to appear on a live television show with a student audience — it was a sort of ‘happening space’ — and he was very keen to participate. I told him not to go because he risked being made into mincemeat, but he remained convinced it was the right thing to do. As a result, I watched a massacre which pained me, because he was a great executive and a great communicator. But he ran up against students who did not understand a certain number of realities that affect the operations of a company, like the need to turn a profit, etc. He was caught in a communications trap where he was just shredded to bits.”
Resist Frivolity
And the lesson? Our media executive advises, “Know how to resist frivolity, and only speak on those things and on those occasions where you have a legitimate reason and credibility. There are exceptions of course: cultural programs, or shows about topics of fundamental importance to society. But I have always refused to appear on ‘entertainment’ shows, and I always say the same to others. It’s just too much of a risk.”
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