Reporters talk to experts because they are just that -- experts. They are not guessers, not estimators. When you are interviewed by the media, act like the authority. Avoid undermining yourself with waffling phrases as too many people do.
Two examples. First, while interviewing a client during a recent media training, I noted that he began most of his replies with, "I think." If a news outlet wanted your personal opinion, they would ask you to pen an opinion column. They want the facts, based on your expertise and knowledge. By starting a sentence with, "I think," the interviewee short changes his credibility.
Second, yesterday's news conference by President Bush witnessed an overuse of "I think's" first cousin, "I believe." Dana Milbank of The Washington Post was counting. He toted up 18 Bush uses of "I believe."
I wish I could say these are isolated occurrences, but they are not. I hear this "I think" sentence construct regularly during media training workshops. This can be tough to knock out. Some people use it to stall for time. Others are manifesting a bad habit gained over years. For some, it indicates a subconscious lack of confidence.
Admittedly, it is difficult to edit out our first reaction. But that is what it takes -- a mental edit that takes place in the blink of an eye. For most, this does not occur overnight. It takes work and dedication to change ingrained habits. In the end, the work is worth it. I would rather set a client on the road to a confident sounding persona than to have him continue to sap his credibility with meaningless waffle words.
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