Hot Tip. Does your CEO need media training? Joyce Newman, an executive coach and head of The Newman Group in New York, lists four mistakes that executives commonly make in the
spotlight:
- Talking encyclopedia. Keep key messages short and on target. Minutia-garbled explanations will confuse the press about which points are most important.
- Historian. It's not necessary to discuss the role your company played during biblical times. Make sure your exec keeps the discussion relevant to the current business
climate. - Marionnette. Movement is good. Stiffness will leave the press wondering if your exec was uncomfortable because he or she had something to hide.
- Road runner. Some speed demons sprint through their presentations and leave reporters in the dust. Silence is as important a strategic tool as are well-selected words.
(Newman, 212/838-8371)