It was a democratic senator, responding to media after Trump had spoken to Congress, who wasn’t going to miss an opportunity as she took a question from a news reporter in a lobby – from inside the lift. Driven to distraction, a follow-up question had her aide frantically move to block the closing doors.
Then some other political figure was in a dressing room, tying a necktie and pulling on a jacket, whilst speaking live to a TV network (like he was late, needing to be somewhere else instead of doing this interview). Perhaps it was the calmest space in the house, or the news channel came to him early. ‘Some other’ figure – I’m not usually so vague. But other than knowing this was a month ago, I have no recollection of who this was or what he said. But peripheral vision could count the suits in the closet.
We well recall those funny video clips that were rerun or reposted instantly …indefinitely. Those kids appearing one by one, as their mother rushes in like a cartoon. But few remember what her husband was talking about.
But that is my point… if I can’t recall who it was, never mind what the person was saying, then the three or four minutes he or she has wasted, the hour(s) of stress pondering what to say – what thing to start with or emphasise – are all pointless.
Ok then, so we can self-diagnose our attention deficit. Or perhaps we should recognise a global attention span at little more than eight seconds (that doesn’t even cover my first sentence).
We can scroll through metres of news feeds and posts and not take in very much at all.
It is interesting how I recall only the visuals – because they are unexpected, unfamiliar or extraordinary. And because that bit of the brain needs only a moment.
Conversely, I watch a breakfast TV interview with the UK chancellor stood in front of a building site, and it is odd that she isn’t wearing hi-vis and hard hat. Because for decades we have seen ministers wearing exactly that, this appears unfamiliar. Whether or not wearing the safety gear is cliché, or the site is further away and the chancellor is not in danger – it doesn’t matter. Hmmm… am I comfortable with this? Something isn’t quite right… And what do you know, I have missed her key message.
If the point isn’t simply a bland recycled line – seen through at best, ignored by most: we remain cool-headed; all options are on the table; there are hard yards – then the point can cut through.
So, if you find yourself doing a media interview and preparing well, don’t waste that effort by flunking the location or the quiet space and fail to spot the visual distractions.
Optics are part of any preparation: open-necked shirt or tie; jacket or rolled-up sleeves; inside or outside; hi-vis or not; baseball cap on …or thrown (if your Trump). If there isn’t a neutral background or space, then make it something that compliments your message or the subject you are talking about.
It follows, when a CEO is talking about a shipping incident or salvage operation, even a new build – if it is worth being at the location it is worth thinking about the background. Or, to put it another way, If the interview is worth doing at all, make your points compelling and don’t be drowned out by a distraction.
