Take a Lesson from Gayle King: Keep Calm and Carry On

News cycles quickly in today’s world, but over the last few days, everyone has been talking about the R. Kelly interview with Gayle King. During the interview, many worried for King’s safety, but King said she did not feel worried. By remaining calm and being prepared, she was able to not only keep the interview going for 80 minutes but also ride out the volatility of the singer’s reactions during and toward the end of the interview. CNN lauded King’s handling of the interview, saying, “With R. Kelly, Gayle King delivers master class in de-escalation and dogged journalism.”

In an interview with Stephen Colbert, King explained, “I thought if I just sit there quietly looking at him, he would know I’m not going anywhere and I’ll just wait for you to finish whatever this is and then you’ll sit back down in the seat. And he did that.”

Regardless of the controversy surrounding the artist, the interview was remarkable from a media trainer’s point of view for one reason: Gayle King remained amazingly calm despite continued escalation throughout the entire interview. Rather than focusing on how out of control R. Kelly became during the interview, we can all take a lesson from King.

It’s Never Cool to Lose Your Cool in a Media Interview

Whether you’re the interviewer or the one being interviewed, remaining calm, professional, and focused is the only way to bring clarity to your message. Even in business, interviews can sometimes touch on very sensitive topics that impact your company and your industry. We have long taught the importance of maintaining a calm and cool demeanor, even under the most trying of circumstances. The court of public opinion is real, and your demeanor during an interview can help build – or erode – trust in you and your organization.

If You Think You Are Going to Become Angry, Just Say No to the Media Interview

We believe it is so important to remain calm during an interview that we recommend saying no to a media interview if you don’t think you can keep your cool. It’s more than just your professional reputation on the line. It’s your company’s reputation – and that affects everyone who works for or with your company.

Practice and Prepare for Your Media Interview

When you practice responding to the toughest questions in advance, you’re much more likely to remain calm when those questions arise during an interview. By practicing, not only can you anticipate to some degree what the heated topics may be, but you can have your messaging well-versed, improving your ability  to respond effectively and pivot the conversation in the direction you want it to take.

While it’s more common to hear about the R. Kellys of the world losing their cool during media interviews, business executives are not immune to this behavior. Say yes to media interview training and take a page from Gayle King to bring professionalism, a cool demeanor, and strong focus back to the media interview process.

Have you been invited to a media interview? Don’t hesitate – schedule media training with us today