Sleeve Notes
Is the title already sounding like a rant... well maybe it is, just a tad!
Even mild mannered Coaches need a good rant sometimes!
There are so many journalists, reporters, presenters on TV that seem to find it hard to ask a 'decent' question. What I actually mean by this is a question that allows the respondent to answer in a way that's true to them, not what the other person wants to hear. Let me explain further...
Side 1 - Where is this coming from?
The new MP for West Cambridgeshire at 22 is the youngest person to be elected in the general election this year.
It seems a few presenters , rather than focusing on what he could bring to the world of politics, focused on his perceived lack of life experience.
"By definition, over the years, you gain more experience. Life experience" said one reporter.
This is true of course, but doesn't necessarily mean a full life of experiences is advantageous in the working arena. You can be ineffective in a role at any age!
This MP has been elected fairly and squarely.
He has achieved lots of things in life already, particularly through the pandemic when his A-Levels were cancelled.
No matter what he said he had achieved so far and wanted to do something about, the reporter kept coming back to his age and experience.
It seems the reporter had made up his mind already.
This to me is lazy interviewing and wasting time... the viewers time.
(Perhaps this is how Journalists are taught/told to interview??)
It would make sense to me if the reporter asked on behalf of all the people that voted for him, something like...
What are your priorities as an MP over the coming months and how are you going to achieve them?
Give the man a chance!
Side 2 - Lazy questioning...some examples.
Questions where you are told what to think, rather than being allowed to think for yourself, like...
"What do you think this is about... (good open question)...is it about X or is it about Y"
(Lazy finish).
So you have given me two options, maybe there is a better option if you had stopped at "What do you think this is about?"
Asking questions that you know a person can't answer, but you'll ask it anyway...what's the point?
Another waste of time.
Presenting a monologue on their own thoughts before asking their guest any questions, then saying "I'm afraid we've run out of time".
Just ask the questions you've brought your guests in to answer, then maybe you'll cover everything the viewer would like to hear in the time you have?
Asking multiple questions - Why ask one question, when 5 will do!
I would be thinking, which question do you want me to answer first. As a viewer, I've forgotten half the questions that were asked in the first place.
The Download
I should pre-curser this 'Download'...
Not all questions need to be open of course, sometimes a closed question is required to get a yes or no.
So, back to those open questions...
Perhaps if presenters, journalists and reporters thought of their 'guests' as coaching clients, this would give them the space to think for themselves and time to offer their response.
I should add there are one or two who are really good at doing this, but sadly on TV, they are few and far between, if you make it all about you and not your guest, then both they and the viewer feel short changed.
In Coaching, it's all about the client, I'm the questioning, listening, motivating & behavioural vessel to help you work towards & achieve what's important for you now and in the coming months.
Next time you watch TV, see what you think.
Comments