The interview wasn't hostile. But the CEO had made a fundamental mistake: he assumed that being good at communicating meant being good at media. Over 15 years covering everything from local politics to national crises, I've seen brilliant executives stumble through straightforward interviews. Leaders who negotiate complex deals daily suddenly can't navigate simple questions about their organization's values.

Format Determines Message

An edited news report uses one to three quoted sentences. A 20-minute interview gets condensed to 10 seconds. A live interview gives you three to seven minutes. If you don't know which format you're walking into, you've already lost control of your message.

The pre-interview matters. What's the focus? Is it live or edited? Who else will be interviewed? These aren't courtesy questions. They're strategic intelligence that determines whether your message survives the editing room.

Think in Soundbites

A perfect soundbite pairs emotion with information. Two to three sentences. Seven to 12 seconds. It can stand alone without context. Ask yourself: if you were to have one sentence quoted, what would you want it to be? If you can't answer that before the interview starts, you're not ready.

You're not having a conversation. You're using a megaphone. Every question is a prompt to deliver your message, not an invitation to answer literally.

Know Your Audience

You're speaking to three audiences: supporters who already agree, critics who never will, and the undecided middle. Most leaders waste their interview trying to convert critics. The critics aren't listening. Speak to the neutral observer evaluating whether your organization deserves their trust. That person is watching how you handle pressure, whether you stay calm when challenged, whether your message is consistent.

Recognize The Traps

The yes-or-no trap: "Did you look into his background, yes or no?" Reject the false binary. "We're investigating what happened and taking steps to address it."

The false choice: "Would you rather cut jobs or increase prices?" Reframe entirely. "We're focused on sustainable solutions that support both employees and customers."

The speculation game: "If this happens, will you resign?" Never engage with hypotheticals. "I can't speculate, but what I can say is..."

These aren't gotcha questions. They're standard journalistic practice. If you don't know they're coming, they'll knock you off message every time.

Master The Pivot

"What we're really focused on is..." "The most important issue here is..." "The more interesting question is..." These phrases bridge from the journalist's framing to yours. The difference between a dodge and a pivot is whether you're avoiding substance or redirecting to more important substance. Don't be afraid to repeat your message in different ways. You're not performing for the journalist. You're performing for the audience.

Crisis Response Structure

Acknowledge the impact. If you messed up, take ownership. At minimum, recognize that people may have been hurt. Explain what happened. If you don't know yet, say what you're doing to find out. Promise what steps you're taking to remedy the situation and ensure it doesn't happen again.

This isn't something you figure out during the crisis. The muscle memory has to be there before the pressure hits.

Never Go Silent

"Company X did not respond to our request for comment" sounds like you're hiding something. Even when you can't comment officially, offer something. Provide the reason you're unable to respond, even off the record. Offer a written statement. Provide background information. Suggest an alternative source. Silence creates a vacuum that journalists fill with speculation and worst-case framing.

The Cost of Assumptions

That CEO I mentioned? His company's stock dropped 12% in the week following his interview. The board commissioned a review. The communications team was overhauled. The entire executive suite finally went through media training.

The training budget was a fraction of what the poorly handled interview cost in market cap, reputation damage, and internal disruption. But it took a preventable crisis for leadership to recognize that preparation matters.

Being articulate is not the same as being media-ready. Professional athletes don't skip practice because they're talented. Yet executives think they can walk into high-stakes media situations without preparation and expect to win.

The best interview I ever conducted was with a CEO who had rigorous media training. She knew what I was trying to get at with each question. She understood how to bridge from my framing to her message. She anticipated follow-ups before I could ask. It wasn't evasive. It was masterful.

Media training isn't about becoming someone you're not. It's about being effective at communicating who you already are in an environment specifically designed to test whether that's true. And if you think you're too experienced to need that kind of preparation, you're exactly the person who needs it most.