No, You Do Not Have to Answer That Question

Or any question, for that matter.

Remember, we talked yesterday about how the subject, not the subjector, is in charge of any/every interview. You’re a reporter’s meat and potatoes. Without your comments, his or her readers/listeners/viewers go hungry. So you get to choose what questions you answer and how you answer them.

The key here is not to appear evasive. “No comment” is not, in fact, no comment — it is an answer, and the worst one you can give because it makes you seem as if you have something to hide. Instead of refusing to answer, you need to answer in a way that signals you’re aware of what the interviewer is after even as you provide him or her the information you want to deliver.

The best technique for this is what I call the bump-and-run (name stolen from a football play). Acknowledge (bump) the question, then deliver (run) the talking points you’re committed to conveying.

Like this:

Interviewer: Some people have said you’ve lost your influence. That you don’t have the clout you once had. Are they right?

You: I’ve heard that, too, but the truth is we’re as active and involved on a global scale as we’ve ever been, with sales showing growth in the key demographics we’re aiming for.

The power lies in the pivot of “I’ve heard that, too.” Other options, depending on the details of the question, are “That’s an interesting question, but I think the real issue is …” and “That’s one way to look at it, but it’s more accurate to say …”  In each case, you can’t be accused of dodging the question because you’re making very clear you’ve heard it; you’re just indicating you don’t think it’s a valid question and you’re offering an answer that more adequately addresses the issue at hand.

Good reporters, it should be noted, will recognize the bump-and-run and rephrase and re-ask the question they want to pin back your ears with. Always remember, you can execute the bump-and-run every time — just mix up the words and phrases so as not to sound like a robot.

You can learn more about bumping and running and other tips to prepare for and deliver a knockout interview by downloading a free copy of THE ROAR 4×4: The Simple, Surefire Way to Be Heard in Media Interviews. You can sign up to get yours at the ROAR web site.