Byline: Stephanie Dufner, M.A., Campaign Director
Politicians frequently make them. So do celebrities. Even members of the British Royal Family have been known to throw out one when speaking with audiences or members of the press (Prince Philip, I am thinking of you).
What I am speaking about: on-camera verbal blunders. They make a person look uninformed, unprepared or even worse, not qualified for an occupied or aspirational role. Who can forget Gary Johnson’s befuddled response on MSNBC’s Morning Joe about the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. “What Is Aleppo?” the 2016 Libertarian Presidential Candidate inquired to the interviewer, Mike Barnicle. Barnicle went on to explain the city’s significance to the former New Mexico governor and thus established Johnson most likely lacked the capacity to occupy the nation’s highest political office.
Words matter. They impact our credibility. Others form impressions of us based what we write or say. Shakespeare showed us the value of words in his poems and stage productions.
What I am speaking about: on-camera verbal blunders. They make a person look uninformed, unprepared or even worse, not qualified for an occupied or aspirational role. Who can forget Gary Johnson’s befuddled response on MSNBC’s Morning Joe about the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. “What Is Aleppo?” the 2016 Libertarian Presidential Candidate inquired to the interviewer, Mike Barnicle. Barnicle went on to explain the city’s significance to the former New Mexico governor and thus established Johnson most likely lacked the capacity to occupy the nation’s highest political office.
Words matter. They impact our credibility. Others form impressions of us based what we write or say. Shakespeare showed us the value of words in his poems and stage productions.
As a communicator and self-professed word nerd, I strive to use the correct words in social media posts, media pitches, and email correspondence. I’ve also enhanced my presentation skills through joining Toastmasters International, which provides a forum to develop one’s public speaking abilities.
Having belonged to Toastmasters for the past four years, I can attest to the importance of preparation and practice as they relate to being interview ready.
Toastmasters offers an environment for learning and constructive criticism, and much of what I’ve learned through the organization applies to my work as a public relations practitioner. One portion of each regular Toastmasters club meeting called “Table Topics” allows members to hone their impromptu speaking skills to avoid making conversational gaffes. If we make poor word choices in our responses, a fellow Toastmaster who assumes the role of “Meeting Grammarian” will tell us how to improve our language. These timed, one-to-two-minute Table Topics responses have demonstrated the importance of attentive listening and making thoughtful, yet succinct, responses as well as developing the ability to effectively react without access to previous information.
Both Prince Philip and Johnson undoubtedly could have benefitted from joining Toastmasters. Given his position and the fact he has retired from public life at the ripe young age of 96, I doubt the husband of England’s reigning monarch could have secretly joined any club in the United Kingdom. (Reporters from The Times of London would have had a field day discussing his Table Topics replies. Imagine if social media existed when the Prince was at his prime in the 1960s. Oh the memes!) Yet the prince and the one-time presidential candidate would have profited from media training.
Media training has numerous benefits. It prepares CEOs and CMOs to answer challenging questions in a confident, concise manner. It reduces on-air performance anxiety. Like the Toastmasters experience, media training provides simulated scenarios like the mock interview. It also gives organizational leaders and subject matter experts practical tips on responding to different interview styles, whether snarky, pleasant or matter-of-fact.
To bolster your credibility and mitigate damage from any potential Aleppo-like questions, consider using Madeira PR’s media training services. You’ll learn how to tackle a multitude of questions, free of faux pas, all while harnessing your inner Bard.