The Ink Tree Report Publishing Newsletter

Media Interviews (March 2004)

The Ink Tree Report - March, 2004

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Marketing, Marketing, Marketing


How to Kick Nervousness in the Shin During Interviews
or How to Turn the Prince and Princess of Panic into
Perfect Professionals

By Roberta Gale -- Roberta Gale Media Coaching


Everyone gets nervous doing something. The mere
thought of getting on a roller coaster, even a kid’s
one, makes my whole body feel like it’s preparing for
certain death. Other people can’t fathom getting within
a quarter mile of a cow without running away screaming.
Some people are unable to walk into a mall without experiencing claustrophobia.


And then there are those who have an instant panic
attack when I mention guesting on a radio or TV program.
These folks would rather bungee jump into the Grand
Canyon without a safety harness than get behind a
microphone. The people I’m talking about may not
necessarily be shy or withdrawn. Even those with the
gift of gab at parties can clam up and break into a cold
sweat when they imagine being on the air.


If you recognize yourself in that last scenario, you do
have an obstacle to deal with, but it is not insurmountable.


The first step in your road to recovery is to learn how to
use your diaphragm. No, not the birth control device,
(that’s out of my area of expertise), but the muscle located
at the top of the rib cage and beneath your breastbone.


Start by standing or sitting up straight. Place your hand
on top the diaphragm and breathe in deeply while pushing
the diaphragm out fully. Then breathe out slowly while
feeling the diaphragm push in. Practice this whenever
you can; while watching TV, waiting in line at the bank,
or at the fast food drive-through. With practice, your
diaphragm will develop and become as hard as any other
muscle you exercise.


A well-developed diaphragm will not only make your voice
stronger and more energetic, it will keep you calm and
centered during an interview as well. When we’re nervous,
we tend to hyperventilate and breathe in a shallow manner
from the top of the chest. This causes us to feel as if we’re
not getting enough air, making our heart beat faster. Then
begins a frightening chain of events that may cumulate into
an anxiety attack. And the worst place for this is happen is
on the air in the middle of an interview!


Whenever you feel anxiety coming on during an interview,
take some slow, deep diaphragmic breaths. The feeling
that as much air as you need is there for you will help calm
you down. And the breaths themselves have a meditative
and focusing effect. Trust me on this one. Just because
I’ve worked on-air for 22 years doesn’t mean I’m immune
to nervousness!


Being nervous is also a function of not knowing what
to say or not knowing where to go next. If you keep a
short, clear outline of your main points in front of you (or
in your mind in the case of TV) you’ll have much more of a
safety net to rely on. It also helps to prepare more material
than you think you’ll need, but beware of over-preparation.
Do not write down and memorize everything word for word
or you’ll become even more worried trying to remember it all!


Many people freeze, stutter or panic when they’re asked
a question they don’t know the answer to. If you don’t know
the answer, the best course of action to take is to admit it!
Tell the host you can try to find out the answer later.
Lying or attempting to make up an answer only serves to
make you and the host uncomfortable.


And don’t feel you have to answer every question within a
split second. If you need some time to gather your thoughts,
or recover from a “senior moment” it’s okay and very
natural-sounding to take a beat. You can also prepare a
few crutch lines in advance to use during these times such
as, “I really have to think about that one,” “I never thought
about that before,” or “what a great question. I really need
to think this through.”


Practice will also help alleviate nervousness. Obviously it’s
best to work on mock interviews with a media coach who
will offer subjective, professional feedback. However, you
can also give a list of questions to a friend, co-worker or
family member and have them ‘interview’ you a number of
times. Be sure to tape the interview each time so you can
listen back to it.


Nervousness also comes from the mistaken belief that on
the air, you must play the role of the polished, slick,
know-it-all “guest” participating in an “interview.” In
reality, nothing can be more counterproductive or further
from the truth. Be yourself and participate in a two-way,
natural conversation between yourself and the host.
Throwing out all of your preconceived notions about
playing a role that doesn’t resonate with who you really
are can really help calm you down.


Roberta Gale has spent 22 years on the radio in major
cities across the country. Her programs have aired nationally
on Westwood One radio Networks and ABC Talk Radio Network.
She is president of Roberta Gale Media Coaching, which
provides media training to authors, experts, spokespeople
and businesses. For more information, go to,
www.robertagale.com -- tell her Ink Tree sent you!


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Interesting Stuff

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Inspiration

“A professional writer is an amateur that doesn’t quit.”

Richard Bach

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