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Posts tagged ‘newspapers’

Oct 14

The Best – And Worst Leadership Advice In One Sentence

The best, and worst, leadership advice given to me came in the form of a single sentence. It was delivered more than 20 years ago by the managing editor of a newspaper in California.

The comment resulted from a conversation I initiated concerning a colleague in the process of deciding whether to leave the paper. Her reasons for quitting were easy to address, and I went to bat for her because she was, and is, a very talented writer (who became a national best-selling author) who made the paper better. Plus, she served as an important mentor to several reporters, including myself.

After I finished pleading my case for action, he leaned back in his chair and said I should not concern myself with what decision she made because, “the paper will be printed and delivered tomorrow morning whether any of us quits or stays.”

The Good

Intentional or not, the statement’s wisdom is that no matter how important anyone thinks they are to an organization, it will not fall apart because one person leaves. This insight keeps me from getting “too big for my britches,” and is a reminder that no single person, regardless of title, is stands above the entire enterprise.

-the paper will be printed and delivered

The Bad

However, once I settled into my first leadership position, I learned that while the statement is true – it is dumb. The top priority for all leaders is to build, and sustain a great team. That means creating a positive culture, re-recruiting high performers, ensuring adequate education, and providing advancement opportunities.

When leaders, such as my former editor, infect a workplace with the attitude that employees are simply interchangeable cogs in a machine, it de-humanizes people.

The Ugly

Not surprisingly, one of the half-jokes in the newsroom was that reporters were going to be replaced by specially trained monkeys from Honduras (not sure why they were from Honduras). The culture resulted in poor productivity. It sank the point the managing editor created story quotas for news reporters.

Unsurprisingly, the quota system created a disincentive to work. Story length was not taken into account, so reporters who had beats that tended to result in short stories simply went home once they hit their quota because they were “done.” That aggravated many people, and added to the divisions and distractions already festering in the newsroom. The quota policy eventually faded away, but the damage was already done.

The Lesson

I have done my best to not emulate that editor. And if I could go back in time and respond, I would have said, “perhaps, but when you hire, value and support the right people, the product will be much better.”

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting LLC, and specializes in business, leadership and life coaching and Marcom consulting.

Aug 11

11 Tips For Flawless Print Interviews

In my career, I have worked both sides of the media street. I spent seven years grinding out stories as a newspaper reporter before joining “the dark side” of public relations.

My years the newsroom gave me an appreciation for good PR people. Now that I am on the dark side, I do my best to help my clients get their story out, and be a resource for reporters. The following 11 tips will help you and the reporter get what each needs.

Several of these tips overlap those provided in my previous blog, 10 Tips For Flawless TV Interviews, but there are important differences in how to prepare and handle written interviews versus TV.

  1. Develop a “Touchstone.” One of the primary reasons to be interviewed is to get a message out. For example, if you are interviewed about a new medical procedure, an option is to discuss organization’s commitment to quality, “at hospital X, bringing new and innovative procedures is how we improve care…”

If a reporter doesn't like the person (1)

  1. Avoid email interviews (except in an appropriate crisis situation). It takes dialogue to build relationships with reporters. This can be face-to-face, phone or a video service such as Skype.

  2. Learn the boundaries. Before the interview, ask the writer what the scope of the discussion will be, what background information the reporter has, and be ready to provide additional background information.

  3. Prepare. Research the topic that is going to be discussed. This will help you feel more confident and the reporter will appreciate your expertise.

  4. But don’t over prepare. Unless the story is for the New York Times Sunday Magazine, you only have to describe your watch – not explain in painful detail how it is made. Write down a few key points in bullet point form.

  5. Be Yourself. Focus on having a conversation with your interviewer. Keep in mind you are being interviewed because you are the expert.

  6. Pause. After a question, pause before answering to give you a moment to formulate your response.

  7. Slow down. Writers are either scribbling or typing notes so remember to slow down the pace of your comments. They will definitely appreciate your effort.

  8. Avoid jargon and acronyms. Keep your conversation to a 6th grade level.

  9. Be accurate. Make sure whatever information you provide in an interview is absolutely accurate. If you don’t know an answer it’s no big deal simply let the reporter know when you will provide the information after the interview and follow through.

Bonus Tip. Don’t ask to see the story before it is published. This question irritates reporters and is against journalism’s rules. However, you can ask to review your quotes before publication. You may still get a firm “no,” but some reporters are okay doing this if the topic is highly technical or outside their expertise.

These tips will help relax people who have not been interviewed for publication or have had a bad experience in the past. Plus, they help you be the go-to resource in your organization.

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting, LLC, and specializes in marcom consulting, as well as business, leadership and life coaching.

Aug 11

Top 10 Tips For Flawless TV Interviews

Although earning media coverage has change radically during the past decade, how to prepare for TV interviewer questions has remained almost unchanged.

These tips arise from 20 years of working for media companies and as a public relations pro. Follow these tips, and your 15 seconds of fame will be well worth the prep time:

1. Develop a “touchstone.” A primary reason to be interviewed is to get a message out. For example, if you are interviewed about a new medical procedure, an option is to discuss organization’s commitment to quality: “At Hospital X, bringing new and innovative procedures is how we improve care…” If you are promoting a book or product, refer to it in your answers: “As I write in chapter three…”

Television news is like a lightning

2. Avoid email interviews whenever possible. To build a relationship with a reporter there should be dialogue, either face to face or on the phone.

3. Listen first. When the reporter is not on a pressing deadline, ask what the scope of the interview will be, what background information the reporter has, and what you can provide prior to the interview.

4. Prepare. Research the topic to be discussed. This will help you feel more confident, and the reporter will appreciate your expertise.

5. But don’t over-prepare. Unless the story is for The New York Times Sunday Magazine, you only have to describe the watch, not explain how it is made. Write down a few key points; three would be ideal. Working off bullet points will help you get your information across in short sound bites.

6. Be yourself, and be confident. Focus on having a conversation with your interviewer. Keep in mind you are being interviewed because you are the expert.

7. Think first. After a question, pause before answering to give you a moment to formulate your response.

8. Slow down. Print reporters are either scribbling or typing notes, so don’t be afraid to speak slowly. They will definitely appreciate it—and your quote is far less likely to be mangled.

9. Avoid jargon. Keep your conversation to a sixth-grade level.

10. Be accurate. Make sure whatever information you provide in an interview is absolutely accurate. If you don’t know an answer, it’s no big deal; tell the reporter/producer you will get them the information after the interview. Be sure to follow up.

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting, LLC, and specializes in business, leadership and life coaching and marcom consulting. 

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