Ever been in a conversation like this…
You’re sitting across from an incredibly smart person who will forget more about their subject matter than you ever hope to know.
You’re curious, maybe even fascinated, to learn more because it’s not every day you get to sit down with a brain surgeon, an astrophysicist who bends time for a living, or a researcher building machines that might just outthink us.
It’s like Christmas morning for every curious nerd out there. Just think what you’re about to learn!
You throw it out there…“Tell me about what you do.”
Aaand…that’s where they lose you. Remember the teacher in the Peanuts comics?
Why?
Because they know too much. They assume you know it too. Maybe their first sentence floats somewhere at the surface, but everything else is 300 feet deep and you can’t dive fast enough to meet them there.
I’m in conversations with really smart people all the time. I love it. The learning, the uncovering of what matters and the reframing in ways people can understand.
I also train and coach these folks to be better communicators – internally with their teams, presentations and in media interviews. The spillover effect is they become better communicators in life – with their spouses, children, charity work as well.
Building communications skills is some of the most important work leaders can do. The only way for your expertise, your vision, the dent you want to make in the universe to realize its potential is to effectively communicate it to others in a way that makes them pay attention, care, believe you and do something about it. (See our Proven Story Structurefor a simple formula)
This very challenge comes up in our Media Training all the time. Media interviews are high stakes conversations – the opportunity to promote your cause or mitigate the risks to your mission.
It pays to be prepared. To understand your goals, messages and guidelines for having amazing interviews.
Journalists are professional curious generalists. It’s their job not to know and to ask the questions your customers wish they could.
We’ve seen it all:
The executive who shares every technical detail but not a single reason to care.
The founder who starts mid-thought and forgets the audience isn’t in their head.
The scientist who’s still talking three minutes after the question ended.
Brilliant minds, foggy messages.
- Be clear about the outcome you’re looking for
- Develop 3 simple, memorable, repeatable key messages
- Share them with reckless abandon
- Wait for the opportunity to dig deeper (3 minute radio segment? Stick to the basics. 90 min podcast? Wax poetic if you like)
- Get some support. A little coaching can go a long way. (It just happens to be a thing we love to do.)
Expertise is your superpower. Communication is what transforms it into action.
If you’re interested in exploring communications coaching, shoot me an email. I’d love to discuss.
OR Check out our Influential Leaders Circle. If you click “Reserve my Spot” at the top of the page, we’ll add you to our waitlist and send you more info!
Mary
P.S. We help visionary leaders and organizations achieve more impact through purpose, engagement and storytelling. When you’re ready, here’s how we can help:
- Build the story of your impact through Envision OnPrpose™
- Develop purpose-driven leaders and storytellers with Lead OnPrpose™
- Energize your people’s potential from the inside out with Engage OnPrpose™
- Amplify your industry voice through Influence OnPrpose™
P.P.S. Check out past One Thing Thursdays here.