Page 209 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

200 AFTER THE SPEECH AND MANAGING THE MEDIA

Avoid “secret handshake” language that smacks of the corporate,
bureaucratic, or heavily academic. It’s a “home,” not a “domestic
habitation unit.” It’s a “death,” not a “hospital care negative out-

come.” It’s a “bond,” not a “fixed-income vehicle.” It’s a “doctor,” not
a “primary health care deliverer.”

Listen carefully. How well you do can depend on how well you
listen. If you are on a panel show or a show with a central point of
origin and other people at several “remotes,” pay attention to all the
questions and all the answers. Be on the alert for “loaded” questions
based on false, misleading, or openly hostile premises.

Be yourself. Need we say more? Don’t try to change or act out a role,
because you may wind up looking and feeling fake.

If pressed hard, question the questioner. Years ago in a memorably
contentious campaign interview in the 1980s, George Bush (senior)
suddenly counterattacked and started asking pointed questions of
Dan Rather on national TV. The tactic clearly caught Rather off
balance and left Bush looking like the victor.

Plan your quotable quotes in advance. In an interview there’s noth-
ing like a clever label or phrase to grab people’s imaginations.
Churchill coined “iron curtain” and “summit conference.” Other
familiar standbys are “silent majority,” “new deal,” and “cold war.”
You may not see yourself as another Churchill, but you can use evoc-
ative standbys such as “ticking time bomb” or “accident waiting to
happen” to reinforce your case.

Use statistics sparingly and wisely. Reinforcing your point with
statistics adds credibility but can clutter your message. Stick to no
more than two statistics per point, and—as always—keep it simple.
For example, “83 percent of people polled said they support the mea-
sure, but only 15 percent said they would be willing to pay extra