Free Media Lesson From Bonny Scotland

LEARNING FROM THE SCOTTISH MASTER  Larger-than-life Scottish hero William Wallace and current Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond are both famous for their pursuit of Scottish independence.  But their methods have been rather different. William Wallace took the direct physical approach involving lots of horses, swords and spears. He defeated the English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, but then lost in the Battle of Falkirk the following year. Wallace was later captured near Glasgow and handed over to the King of England. He was hung, drawn and quartered in 1305. Then things took a turn for the worse. When the big award-winning film was made of William Wallace's life (complete with various historical inaccuracies), he suffered the further indignity of being portrayed on screen by an Australian. Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Braveheart    By contrast, Alex Salmond is alive and well. As a result, he's able to play himself on Scottish television every night without the need for an actor imported from the southern hemisphere.    Alex Salmond has just made his latest and rather more peaceful move towards trying to make Scotland an independent nation. He's announced the date of the referendum which will take place on 18 September 2014. The smart money suggests - at this early stage - that the majority of Scots will vote against independence...fearing, among other things, that Scottish oil won't be enough to sustain prosperity without English support. As a communications professional, I'm naturally neutral on the issue of whether Scotland should depart from the United Kingdom (which, if it happened, would presumably mean the rest of the place would have to be re-named the Disunited Kingdom!)  An Australian tourist loitering outside Edinburgh Castle in the hope of being cast in the next big Scottish movie   Picture Credit: Jonathan Brind http://www.baa.me.uk/ But having met Alex Salmond and watched him deal with the media, I'd have to say: Don't underestimate his powers of persuasion. Alex Salmond is a captivating political leader who is a master at engaging with the media on his terms. Love him or loathe him, there's much we can learn from his approach to journalists. When I met him during the first of his two stints as the leader of the Scottish National Party, I was far more impressed by him than I am with most politicians. So working in Scotland this week, and watching Mr Salmond perform on Scottish TV, I've been reminded of just how charming and articulate he is. Click here if you'd like to hear my thoughts about this master of engaging with the media which were recorded in icy conditions on The Royal Mile. Maximizing Your Free Media Publicity Alex Salmond's rhetoric may not be quite as fiery as William Wallace's. But he must still lie awake nervously wondering if Mel Gibson will be brought back to Scotland to portray him in a future movie. And if you need reminding about what a fired-up Scottish-accented Mel Gibson looks and sounds like, then click here on this rousing excerpt from Braveheart.

THE BORIS BIKE CRASH One person has done far less well in front of the cameras over the past week than either Alex Salmond or Mel Gibson. This is London cyclist and Mayor Boris Johnson. Mr Johnson gave a string of media interviews where he did far far far worse than he normally does. Usually his endearingly bumbling but witty performances win over journalists and viewers alike. But even faced with a bunch of school pupil interviewers as part of the BBC's "School Report" series, Mr Johnson failed to give a straight answer to a persisitent series of straight questions about his aspirations to become British Prime Minister. During this interview - and others - Mr Johnson claimed his chances of becoming prime mininster were next to zero. They weren't anywhere near zero before. But they are now.  Mr Johnson's worst performance was in an interview with the BBC's Eddie Mair where he managed to break practically every rule in the good interview response book. If you can bare to watch the full bike crash experience it's at http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/03/boris-johnson-meets-his-match/ Among of the learning points from the Johnson interview experience are: # Give straight answers - and don't do as Boris Johnson does at one point and ask for "permission to obfuscate". # Go beyond just preparing for the obvious. Mr Johnson claimed he was expecting the questions to all be about housing and the Olympic legacy. Ask yourself: What else could be on the media radar? In this instance - given the speculation about Mr Johnson's prime ministerial ambitions - questions about his next job and his integrity could be reasonably expected. # If you believe a question is not appropriate for you to answer explain, just why it isn't - and stick to your position. Mr Johnson tries a mixture of complaint about the questions, saying he doesn't want to talk about some subjects, giving partial answers but then claiming there isn't time for the full thing (there was plenty of time) and at one point offering a decidedly half-hearted apology (either give a full genuine apology or don't give one at all). # Keep eye contact with the interviewer or you will look dishonest. Mr Johnson goes from having very good eye contact on the early softer questions and then repeatedly looks away on the challenging personal ones...signalling that he's being less than straight-forward. To his credit, Mr Johnson did better after the encounter which has become known as the "bike crash" interview. "I fully concede it wasn't my most blistering performance," he confessed, returning to his more normal candour. The mayor's father, Stanley Johnson, complained that the interview was "the most disgusting piece of journalism I've listened to for a very long time". But his son realised there was no mileage in joining such complaints. "Eddie Mair did a splendid job," he declared. "He was perfectly within his rights to have a bash at me - in fact it would have been shocking if he hadn't. If a BBC presenter can't attack a nasty Tory politician, what's the world coming to?" Asked whether Mr Mair should get the job of presenting role on the BBC's flagship politician-grilling programme, Newsnight, Mr Johnson added: "I should think he'll get an Oscar." That's more like it Boris...though I think you'll be hard pressed to repossess the "future prime minister" tag from here. You should have paid more attention in your media training classes... though I wish to stress that I didn't train you!!! THE DOUBLE ACT TO CHALLENGE FRED AND GINGER And here's the good news for those wanting a high impact, high drama conference event with a difference. I've teamed up with a rapidly rising star in the Professional Speaking Association, Nicci Roscoe, who specializes in helping people make a fabulous impact. Picture Credit: Dianna Bonner http://www.worldvisionphotos.co.uk/  Nicci is one of those who truly lives the brand and tends to make a fabulous impact wherever she goes - including on a string of television on programmes like GMTV with Lorraine Kelly, Sky One's "One-To-Three", "Mind And Body" and "Weigh To Go". We have several double acts which can run as interactive conference keynotes or as workshops for away days. The first one to make its debut is "Making Your Team Look And Sound Great" which will run in the City of London in May. On the "Look" side, Nicci gives practical guidance on how to look the part and, as a fitness guru, can advise your teams on how to get into top shape. On the "Sound" side, we can show audiences how to boost the content, structure and performance of business introductions, presentations and answers to tough questions in professional situations. One of the things we do on stage is to demonstrate good and bad practice. So as something of an actress, Nicci can play the part of both excellent and appalling characters whether it's the bitchy job interviewer or the dragon around the boardroom table. We demonstrate ways to win out in the kind tough situations which any particular audience has to face. And when the conference crowd is brave enough, volunteers can come on stage to try out the best practice techniques in the spotlight - and get a personal critique everyone can benefit from. We give audiences instantly useable takeaway guidance on how to deal with a whole range of difficult people. This includes dealing with your organisation's own personal nightmares - whether they're challenging customers, skeptical prospects... or even BBC interviewers who are out to get you! Keep smiling, Michael

OVERCOMING YOUR FEAR OF PREPARATION

FEAR OF PREPARATION  Here's a scene I encounter pretty much every week. There's a gathering of leaders...sometimes from the same company; sometimes from the same business leaders group. They all say they're nervous. And indeed they are. They talk of sweaty palms. They talk of shaking hands. They talk of butterflies in the tummy.    They're about to have their communications skills tested - and taken to a new, more inspirational level. It could be to make a presentation. It could be do a brief business introduction. It could be to answer tough questions. What makes them even more apprehensive is the presence of the camera operator setting up in the corner. There are surveys which show people fear speaking in front of audiences more than they fear rattlesnakes, death and going to the dentist. But here's the crucial thing I've discovered. What they really fear is not speaking in front of others - even the camera. They fear PREPARING to speak. And the reason they fear this is frequently because they don't know quite how to prepare. When they're shown how to choose the right content and the right structure for those presentations, introductions and questions they feel so much better. And as we spend the session focusing on how to prepare - and then actually preparing, it makes the world of difference. Those business leaders who were so nervous feel so much better. They prove to themselves they can actually do it - if they know how to prepare and then actually take the trouble to do so. And when they know how best to stand, how to involve their hands and how to best utilise their voice, they feel still more at ease. Those sweaty palms and shaky hands disappear. And if there are any butterflies left, at least they're flying in formation. There's more on "Presenting with Confidence, Impact and Pizzazz" at http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/presentation_training.php AT LAST!!! In many of the groups of business leaders I work with, the participants have to give the professional speakers who conduct the session a mark out of ten. Your reputation as a speaker lives or dies by these marks. And there's one brand of groups who actually pay the speakers in accordance with their score.   No pressure, eh? But while the participants can be generous with their marking when they feel they've made great progress, it is - quite understandably - tough to completely satisfy everyone in a session. So it was nice to finally hit the jackpot with a group outside Wigan where for once all members managed to give a score of ten out of ten.  Wigan in the English North-West Three cheers for Wigan, Adrian Sharpe and members of his Vistage K231. And a big thanks to all those chairs of business leaders groups and members for your constructive suggestions to put me on the right track over the past few years. Alas the scores can only go down from here!!!  ANSWER THE QUESTION MR BATES It's fair to say that the Canadian company, Research In Motion, which produces Blackberrys is feeling the heat from its rivals Apple and Samsung after a massive loss in market share. How do I know? Not by studying the Blackberry figures, but by listening the interviews given by the company's European Managing Director, Stephen Bates. When I say "interviews" I am using the term loosely. Interviews traditionally involve actually responding to questions. Mr Bates's approach to being interviewed is to avoid answering the question completely - time after time. As a result he looks and sounds dodgy....as bad as the worst of politicians. Viewers watching his performances can be forgiven for shouting at their TVs and radios: "Answer the question, Mr Bates." Questioned about the delay in the launch of a new model Blackberry on BBC Breakfast TV, Mr Bates was asked repeatedly "What went wrong?" His answers began variously with: "Actually it's interesting..." "So, so you know I'm always excited to be part of this ..." "Traditionally, this is a great market..." "This is a phenomenal market..." You can re-live all Stephen Bates's non-answers at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p014f3p9  Mr Bates similarly evaded all questions on Radio 5 Live on the subject of what had Blackberry learned from the Apple iphone? The conclusion you have to reach from all the non-answers is "Lots and lots and lots". Judge for yourself at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p014f43k?utm_source=February+2013&utm_campaign=12th+February+2013&utm_medium=email HOW YOU SHOULD TREAT THOSE QUESTIONS    If you want to come across as devious, slimy and insecure under pressure then copy the Stephen Bates technique whenever you're interviewed. If you want to look honest, relaxed and in control then do what Mr Bates should have done: ANSWER THE QUESTION RIGHT UP FRONT. Once you have answered the question, you then have a license under the normal rules of conversation to add a bit more - and convey an additional message. But if you don't answer then your audience and the journalistic world will draw their own conclusion - which is probably far worse than any embarrassing truth. You can get the Michael Dodd Communications free media interview tipsheet at http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/products.php/#mediatipsheet And if you want to be prepared for a media crisis, I have a way of bringing it to life through an unfolding series of mock media stories based on what your organisation would have to deal with if something goes wrong. There's more information about master classes in media interview response at: http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/media_training.php  THE PRIME MINISTERS AND ME I hope none of you missed the interview I did on Australian radio twenty years ago with then Canadian prime minister, Brian Mulroney. In the unlikely event that you missed it, it was conducted in Munich where I was covering what was then called the G-7 conference of the leading economic nations. Mr Mulroney was giving a press conference as a controversial Canadian domestic issue blew up involving French-speakings in Quebec - and only Canadian journalists were admitted. Brian Mulroney, 18th Prime Minister of Canada The press conference went on ages and we journalists from other countries were locked outside listening on a speaker system, but unable to put our questions to the big man of Canada about issues important to our audiences. Eventually the press conference ended and the Canadian journo's all rushed out to file their stories. I stormed in and went up to Mr Mulroney saying "Canada locked Australia out of your press conference!" He was apologetic, in a jovial kind of way, and asked me if I knew Bob Hawke - the then Australian Prime Minister. As I had previously been a Canberra correspondent, I could tell him that I did indeed and had asked Mr Hawke many questions at many press conferences Down Under. Mr Mulroney told me how much he liked Bob Hawke, and said that as I knew Mr Hawke he would give me my own exclusive interview. He did it on the spot. Brian Mulroney proved to be a fascinating, colourful and engaging interviewee (who actually answered the questions - Mr Bates take note). My lords and masters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation were very pleased with the result. So I had a good, albeit narrow, perception of Canadian politics...until this week when I was sent the following story supposedly about the latest Canadian PM. Please read it with a massive pinch of salt... SPIN, CANADIAN STYLE (ALLEGEDLY) Judy Harper an amateur genealogy researcher in Northern Ontario, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's great-great uncle, Remus Rudd, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Winnipeg in 1889. Both Judy and Stephen Harper share this common ancestor. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows at Canada's Manitoba Provincial Jail. On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: 'Remus Rudd horse thief, sent to Stoney Mountain Jail 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Canadian Pacific (Railway) and Canadian National (Railway) trains six times. Caught by Mounted Police Force, convicted and hanged in 1889.' So Judy recently e-mailed Prime Minister Harper  for information about their great-great uncle, Remus Rudd. Believe it or not, Harper's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research: "Remus Rudd was famous in Ontario during the mid to late 1800s.  His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the CP and CN Railways.. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroads. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the Mounted Police Force. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honour when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed." It would be fascinating if this story were true. Unfortunately, in my attempts to verify it, I came across an almost identical story on the web put up earlier about the former Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. Here's a picture of Mr Rudd's supposed long lost relative being hung...or as Australian's were told "taking part in an important civic function in his honour."    It seems the Australian story is as untrue as the Canadian one. But I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Meanwhile, as the descendent of an Australian convict who escaped to New Zealand where he had children by a Maori (my great-great-great grandma), my policy is to reveal all on the topic of family skeletons. The plus side of this true story means I may be entitled to fishing rights in New Zealand waters. I've just had the pleasure of basking by Middle Eastern waters, on a mission in Dubai. Picture credit: Anthony Miles But it's nice to have the option of making a living from the waters further south if the need arises. So being truthful about the family history isn't always so bad. Keep smiling, Michael