Facilitation and Media Interviews Sanjana Hattotuwa

Key learning objectives To introduce some of the central concepts and approaches for facilitators To better understand media interactions

To introduce some of the central concepts and approaches for facilitators

To better understand media interactions

Who is a facilitator? Literally means: ‘ making things easy’ A person who helps a group or team to: achieve results in interactive events by using a range of skills and methods focuses on the process of how

Literally means: ‘ making things easy’

A person who helps a group or team to:

achieve results in interactive events

by using a range of skills and methods

focuses on the process of how

Facilitator = Conductor

PARAPHRASING Restating what another has said in your own words SUMMARIZING Pulling together the main points of a speaker QUESTIONING Challenging participants to tackle & solve problems 3 keys to effective facilitation

Attitudes Friendly and open Observant A commitment to helping people to learn for themselves Supportive/ enthusiastic Respectful of diversity and inclusion Self-awareness and sensitivity

Friendly and open

Observant

A commitment to helping people to learn for themselves

Supportive/ enthusiastic

Respectful of diversity and inclusion

Self-awareness and sensitivity

Knowledge Of sector and the challenges faced but it Of the specific organinsations you will be working with Of the community and its context Of the issues, themes and topics including the most up-to-date developments

Of sector and the challenges faced but it

Of the specific organinsations you will be working with

Of the community and its context

Of the issues, themes and topics including the most up-to-date developments

Dealing with adults Rigidity – neural paths are well worn Time Comfort Experience Age / culture / language / gender / place / location / vocation / time / personal history

Rigidity – neural paths are well worn

Time

Comfort

Experience

Age / culture / language / gender / place / location / vocation / time / personal history

Active Listening Active listening encourages the open communication of ideas and feelings -- by making a participant feel not only heard, but also understood.

Active listening encourages the open communication of ideas and feelings -- by making a participant feel not only heard, but also understood.

Active Listening Look at the person who is speaking Pay attention to body language - yours and theirs Pay attention to delivery and emotion Summarize what you have heard - to show you’ve caught the main points

Look at the person who is speaking

Pay attention to body language - yours and theirs

Pay attention to delivery and emotion

Summarize what you have heard - to show you’ve caught the main points

Nine Steps for Effective Listening Put your group at ease Show you want to listen Remove distractions Empathise Have patience Hold your temper Don’t argue or criticise Ask questions STOP TALKING!

Put your group at ease

Show you want to listen

Remove distractions

Empathise

Have patience

Hold your temper

Don’t argue or criticise

Ask questions

STOP TALKING!

Good communications Be enthusiastic, calm and confident Talk slowly and clearly. Use language that is simple and appropriate Provide clear guidance and instructions - especially for group work.

Be enthusiastic, calm and confident

Talk slowly and clearly. Use language that is simple and appropriate

Provide clear guidance and instructions - especially for group work.

Handling media interviews Answer the question and stop talking It is not your responsibility to fill dead air. When you are doing a live interview and the interviewer doesn’t jump in with another question once you’ve finished delivering your message, stay quiet! At worst, the quiet space will make you look/sound thoughtful. Be concrete, colourful and anecdotal Be a storyteller. Make your facts easy to remember by using examples of real people doing real things.

Answer the question and stop talking

It is not your responsibility to fill dead air. When you are doing a live interview and the interviewer doesn’t jump in with another question once you’ve finished delivering your message, stay quiet! At worst, the quiet space will make you look/sound thoughtful.

Be concrete, colourful and anecdotal

Be a storyteller. Make your facts easy to remember by using examples of real people doing real things.

Handling media interviews Be yourself Trying too much to act like someone other than yourself will likely make you come across as unconvincing. Also, be aware of the needs of the story in relation to your style. If you are someone who naturally comes across as strong and severe and the story needs a soft touch, pass the spokesperson role to someone else.

Be yourself

Trying too much to act like someone other than yourself will likely make you come across as unconvincing.

Also, be aware of the needs of the story in relation to your style. If you are someone who naturally comes across as strong and severe and the story needs a soft touch, pass the spokesperson role to someone else.

Handling media interviews Breathe Breathing is a highly underused skill. Our brains make up 2% of our body weight but use 25% of our oxygen. Deep breathing is calming, slows down your speech and leaves your audience with the impression that you are thoughtful.

Breathe

Breathing is a highly underused skill. Our brains make up 2% of our body weight but use 25% of our oxygen. Deep breathing is calming, slows down your speech and leaves your audience with the impression that you are thoughtful.

Handling media interviews Know your subject intimately—forwards, backwards, upside down Know what those who will argue your position will say, and address their points—be proactive, not reactive

Know your subject intimately—forwards, backwards, upside down

Know what those who will argue your position will say, and address their points—be proactive, not reactive

Handling media interviews Prepare your top 1-3 Messages (not more!) Make them clear, concise, compelling, brief, and jargon-free Be prepared to “bridge” back to these messages several times throughout the interview; provide necessary responses to questions asked, but lead back to your own messages as quickly and skillfully as possible Be proactive in inserting your messages throughout the interview – your responsibility is to the messages of your issue and organization

Prepare your top 1-3 Messages (not more!)

Make them clear, concise, compelling, brief, and jargon-free

Be prepared to “bridge” back to these messages several times throughout the interview; provide necessary responses to questions asked, but lead back to your own messages as quickly and skillfully as possible

Be proactive in inserting your messages throughout the interview – your responsibility is to the messages of your issue and organization

Handling media interviews Know what you want to say in one minute or less If you can’t summarize your news in one minute, it’s too complicated or it lacks focus Talk in soundbites, keep answers short, do not over-answer Avoid acronyms, jargon and technical terms— remember who your audience is Use your organization’s name, never “we” or “I”

Know what you want to say in one minute or less

If you can’t summarize your news in one minute, it’s too complicated or it lacks focus

Talk in soundbites, keep answers short, do not over-answer

Avoid acronyms, jargon and technical terms— remember who your audience is

Use your organization’s name, never “we” or “I”

Handling media interviews Prepare to answer two or three really tough questions Think of questions you hope you won’t be asked and prepare answers for them Believe in what you are addressing If you are not entirely convinced about the statements you are communicating, you will not persuade the reporter, or readers, to support your position

Prepare to answer two or three really tough questions

Think of questions you hope you won’t be asked and prepare answers for them

Believe in what you are addressing

If you are not entirely convinced about the statements you are communicating, you will not persuade the reporter, or readers, to support your position

Handling media interviews An interview is a performance! Project energy and confidence in your voice Dress on TV / Intonation on Radio / Grammar in print

An interview is a performance!

Project energy and confidence in your voice

Dress on TV / Intonation on Radio / Grammar in print

Thank You !