The Media Coach

Hi John,

I've been immersed in music and film for the past week or so. There's a surprise, I'm sure you're saying.

Most of the performers were people I chose to see, but on Saturday evening, I saw a concert I never would have considered. And what a treat it was.

The concert was Burna Boy - a sell-out 60,000 crowd at the London Stadium. I was leading a team of volunteers providing support and assistance to attendees with mobility issues, including a number of wheelchairs. It's a role I often take on at concerts in the stadium, and I really enjoy it.

I don't always watch the concert, I must admit, though I did watch The Rolling Stones a few years ago, and Beyonce more recently. But Burna Boy wasn't on my list to watch. How wrong I was. His band, singers and dancers were amazing. His voice and performance were stunning, and I've been telling everyone, including you, that they should give him a listen.

It just goes to show that assumptions can be very wrong.

And a word about my local football team (I mean the nearest one, not the one I support), West Ham.

Two words in fact. Well done!

I still have just one place left on my speaker coaching programme, for six or twelve months - the place is available in June. Better be quick!

If you'd like to know more and maybe have a chat, just get in touch.

The most popular interview of 2019, by far, was the conversation I had with music journalist Lesley-Ann Jones.

She told some wonderful stories about her background with rock legends.

And she's just launched the paperback version of her wonderful book about the Rolling Stones, called The Stone Age.

So it's time to listen to her again in the Media Coach Radio Show.

Go to the iTunes Archive of the MediaCoach Show

Follow me on Twitter

And there's a great song from Jim Boggia

The MediaMug this week is Jay Monahan, the Commissioner of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). The PGA has been in a long-running and acrimonious dispute with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which has been signing up some of the world's best golfers to play in their tournaments.

Last year he condemned LIV Golf as "Nothing more than sports washing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation." His words were echoed by golfers who remained loyal to the PGA, including the outspoken Rory McIlroy.

This week, to most people's surprise, LIV Golf and the PGA announced that they were due to "merge", though in fact the major part of the funding for the new body will come from Saudi Arabia, causing some observers to say "The Saudis have bought an entire sport".

This week, Mr Moynahan said to his PGA members "Today is a momentous day for your organisation and the game of golf as a whole." as he welcomed a merger with the sports washers.

Note to Mr Moynahan. Words come back to haunt you. I wonder what coud have made him do such a massive U-turn?

In the old days, a speaker could arrive on stage, click into their first slide and deliver a 40-minute keynote to a hushed audience, interrupted only by the occasional ripple of laughter, before taking a couple of simple questions before heading backstage to await the happy sheets. That was then. Alas, some speakers are still living in that era, unaware that things have changed.

Audiences these days are much more demanding of speakers. I don't believe it's because attention spans have dropped, even though there is much more short-form information around. I believe it's because speakers are now in a battle for attention with other sources of information. Most audience members will check their mobile phones at some point. Many will be using web-connected iPads or other tablets to communicate with people outside. For some, your speech may be background noise.

That doesn't mean that your audience isn't paying attention to your wisdom. It does mean that you have to be more interesting than whatever is happening on their iPhones. If you deliver a piece of information, you need to be aware that it can be checked in seconds, and you may be challenged. If you tell a story, make it so engaging that people have to give it their full attention. If you use slides, make the information so obvious that people can absorb it in a few seconds.

Some speakers bemoan the fact that control has passed from them to their audience. They're missing the point. The audience was always in charge, and the speaker is there to serve. These days, the level of service has to be even higher.

Whether it's radio or TV, there are ways to make an interview work really well. Here are some of my top tips:

1) Stay calm and confident. Interviewers may appear intimidating, but they are simply professionals doing a job. If you work with them, the outcome will be good for both of you, so stay calm and express your views slowly and confidently.

2) Only say what you know. Speculating about a topic that you don't understand, or offering an explanation for events without any real evidence, are both routes to disaster. It's perfectly acceptable to admit that you don't know the answer to a question, but you will endeavour to find out. That also gives you another opportunity to be interviewed.

3) Keep still. Even if you are in a swivel chair, keep your feet on the floor and keep the chair still. Avoid nodding your head as the interviewer asks a question, since a reaction shot will suggest that you agree with the point they are making

4) When you have made your point, stop. Interviewees can get themselves into terrible tangles if they try to keep speaking to "fill the dead air". Silence is not your problem, it's the interviewer's, so allow them to deal with it.

5) Leave edit points. Pause between the end of the question and your answer, and between your main points to allow the possibility of sound bites. It will greatly increase the chance of your words being re-broadcast.



6) Plan a memorable phrase. We're not all as witty as Oscar Wilde was (and he used to prepare his ad-libs too). Plan a memorable phrase well in advance, and as just mentioned, pause before and after you deliver it.

7) Leave your details behind. After the interview, make sure that you leave your contact details with the producer, the runner and the receptionist. They may call you back directly, or give your contact details to anyone who calls the station.

On the web, as they used to say, no-one knows you're a dog. I mean no disrespect to any canine readers, incidentally. The thing is, some people take on an online persona which is different from the real person they are. It may be accidental or deliberate, but either way, it's confusing for the rest of us. I'm not talking about the appalling practices of predatory perverts here. There are many upstanding citizens who feel the need to speak and behave in a different character online and offline.

What's the problem? If they can keep up the subterfuge, no harm will come of it, will it? I say it certainly can if you are using social media for business. Doing business is all about trust, and if you aren't sure who you are really speaking with, how can you trust them?

That's why I recommend using your real name online (along with your brand name if you wish). Business people should also use a recent photograph on their social media profiles and website, rather than a cartoon or company logo. As my dear old grandmother used to remark "Say what you mean, and mean what you say".

The main problems with online discussions seem to stem from misunderstandings or mis-communications. Being who you are, all the time, will make online business so much easier.

Do you ever watch a film and guess what's about to happen? Here's why.

If you're looking for a speaker coach, just get in touch. I now have all inclusive pricing.