Every expert, talented PR person I know spends enormous energy creating messages for leaders and coaching them to be polished, prepared, on-message. But we can’t climb into the nervous systems of our spokespersons.
Every leader needs to practice coping with challenging, nasty, orthogonal, or just bizarre questions to not just nail their content, but also to learn how they react internally to different kinds of stresses.
When spokespersons know their triggers they are more than halfway toward mastering their responses. Some people get frustrated with dumb questions, some disoriented by interruptions, some respond to hostility with hostility.
If you want your spokesperson to respond to tough questions with grace and courage, you need to learn your spokesperson’s triggers. Then and only then can you coach them effectively through a challenging situation.
Got some speedbumps ahead for your company? Who doesn’t these days?
You can create a safe space to practice and gather data. Bring in a fearless communications coach to put your spokesperson through their paces and then create your action plan. 😉
Forewarned is forearmed!
Take the risk out of being in the spotlight! I can prepare you, your teams and your leaders to tell your company’s story with confidence, shape the industry and maybe even change the world.
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