I was watching 60 minutes with my wife on Sunday. It’s one of our favorite end-of-the-weekend rituals.
This weekend they did a retrospective on the series’ 50 years of groundbreaking journalism and the people behind the stories.
There is in the art of executing a good interview and telling a great story.
So what did the pros have to share about how they got the most out of each interview opportunity…and how does this apply to what we do in sales?
Here were some interesting takeaways towards that end:
Lesley Stahl: I had to ask him about cancer, he didn’t want to go there and I was pushing him there. (Referring to John McCain)
Ed Bradley: My job is to put someone in the chair and get them to talk and tell their story as if there are no cameras, no lights, not seven people in the room. Just the two of us sitting there talking.
Steve Kroft: Sometimes you have to ruin somebody’s day. But it’s always somebody who deserves to have their day ruined… He did six years in prison for that.
Mike Wallace: Track ’em down, follow them into the office or into a barroom or whatever. (Persistence?:)
What are some pro tips?:
1. Be patient. Sometimes you just need to wait for them to talk
2. Show up extremely well prepared
3. Making everyone else just slip away
4. Dig into surprises, inconsistencies, and contradictions
5. Be curious!
6. Be persistent!
Get out there and be curious this week!
Colin
The kick in the pants you need. Sign-up for a better start to your work day.
