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Choose Your Timing: An Observation
Have you ever watched a sporting event on television when the reporter on the ground interviews a coach or an athlete while the game is still under way? How about the reporter who grabs the golfer coming off of the last green right after he has lost an agonizing four-day tournament by a single stroke?
Make Your Timing Intentional
There’s a reason the interviews happen the way they do. The timing is intentional. The intended outcome is a more emotional response than what would have normally been offered after passing through a gauntlet of internal filters. More raw. More controversy. Great reporting – and even better for ratings!
This serves as a strong example for all of us when we think about how to approach people on potentially sensitive topics. Just as the reporters’ timing is intentional, ours should be as well. Just the same, right? Well….no.
Why Timing is Everything
The situations are the same in that they both warrant a planned approach. Timing, venue, and the emotional state of the other person are all important factors to consider. However, the situations are different because one thrives on selecting a highly emotional time and the other should avoid it.
The reporter wants a response that is charged by the moment. In most other situations, we want a response that is grounded by a calmer state. So, picking a highly emotional time is to be avoided.
The next time you see a reporter approach an athlete or coach during a highly emotional time, give the producers good grades for trying to entertain. But be careful to not emulate their approach for selecting their timing. It may help them achieve their intended outcome – but it probably won’t have the same effect for you.
Image Courtesy of © Can Stock Photo Inc. / rookman48
Steve – great article. Sounds so simple but we often forget. I loved your use of the sports analogy. Hope all is going great!
John