After a lower court judge ruled that Microsoft would have to be split up into two separate public companies a few years ago, an appeals court stayed that order and said it would hear the case. 

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, who appeared on ABC’s NightLine w/Ted Koppel after the first decision (see Interviewing, March, 2006 and Speculative Questions), was invited back for reaction to this second one.  Koppel probed for Gates’ personal feelings about the case and, most notably, about the lower court judge.

Dangerous Turf

But Gates, mindful of important audiences, would travel only so far down that road, expressing disappointment over the district judge’s ruling.  Koppel wanted more than that, but what if Gates had slammed the judge, knowing that his peers on the appeals court who would be hearing his appeal certainly would learn about any out-of-bounds personal remarks?  Correctly, he avoided falling into that trap. 

That’s one type of situation you need to be mindful of when you’re answering questions.  Another could be questions about company policies with which you personally disagree.  Or, an opportunity to relate a personal experience that helps illustrate and humanize a message.

The Media Trainers™ Re-winder Reminder:

4     Before you answer those questions probing for your personal thoughts or feelings, consider who’s on the other end, reading or listening to the story.  What messages are you sending them? 

4     If you’re a company spokesperson and you’re being interviewed about policies you personally don’t like, too bad.  Your job is to best represent the organization.  If you can’t, let someone else do the interview.

4     Personal answers can be effective when you are relating illustrative anecdotal information based on personal experience.  Those examples/answers usually are difficult, if not impossible, for a reporter to challenge or to refute.

The Media Trainers™, LLC, has a Tough Questions eBook on our Web site that you can download free for easy reference.  We’ve defined eight question types:

 4     Speculative question (see Interviewing, March, 2006)

4     Built-in premise (see Interviewing, April, 2006)

4     Pregnant pause (see Interviewing, May, 2006)

4     Multiple questions (see Interviewing, June, 2006)

4     Interrupted answers (see Interviewing, July, 2006)

4     Negative questions (see Interviewing, August, 2006)

4     Third-party questions (seen Interviewing, September, 2006)

                        4     Personal opinion