No (media) train, no gain

Every time I try to launch a new interview show or video series, I hit the same wall: the dreaded task of ‘convincing’ guests and their comms teams to participate.

These are the same people that can hold court at a dinner table or deliver polished scripted remarks at conferences, but the minute I say ‘on camera’, the fear is palpable.

This week has been frustrating. I’m working on the pilot of a show featuring second generation leaders of established conglomerates.

The number of calls I’ve received from PR teams saying the father can talk but the son isn’t “confident”, is “shy” or just “doesn’t do videos” has been baffling.

And here I was, thinking that the digital native generation, raised on social media, shaped by global exposure and armed with Ivy League education would be the natural talkers. Not quite.

I’ll be honest, their inability to face the camera and answer basic media questions makes my confidence in their abilities as next-gen leaders wobble.

But this is where PR, and comms teams can come into their own. 

The ‘future face’ of the company needs to be ready to represent it publicly and in front of the media, where agility, authenticity and accuracy matters.

The GCC media landscape is unusually generous. Few regions give public personalities as much leeway as we do. But this generosity shouldn’t be mistaken for a free pass.

The onus, then, is on you guys to media train these ‘next-gen’ leaders. These are my top tips for doing it:

Coach for formats, not just messages: prep them for stage talks, video interviews, debates, podcasts, pieces to camera, and even casual press conference Q&As. Invest in a good media trainer and public speaking coach if you need to.

Know the audience: the angles that work for AGBI may not work The National and definitely not for Loving Dubai. So it’s not just about speaking to the journalist. It’s about tailoring the message for the publication and its readers.

Make it fluff-proof: journalists don’t want hollow statements. Train your clients to give crisp, quotable, opinionated remarks that offer new information instead of rehashed press release jargon. Remind them to speak in soundbites. That’s what goes viral.

Be bold, but accurate: make sure they don’t veer into controversy that could harm the company, or worse, make statements that are factually inaccurate. The last thing journos want is a call from the PR the day after a piece is published to take it down ‘because that’s not what he meant’.

We all know that these days, the “he’s shy” or “she doesn’t do videos” excuse doesn’t fly. Future leaders can’t afford to be invisible or worse, bland. You can make all the difference.