You might want to get a pen and paper or open your Notes app on your phone, because you’ll want to jot or thumb this down for future reference. Here it is, the never-fails tip for making sure that you, not the journalist asking the questions, is in charge when you chat. Are you ready? You don’t want to miss this.
Do the interview.
Yep, that’s it. By just doing the interview, you ensure you are in control. It is a fallacy that the journalist “runs the show”; Lord knows there are battalions of aggressive ones out there who like to cajole and push and “ask the tough questions” — but the reality is you’re in charge, not them. Always. Every time.
Here’s why. They need you to do their job. Without the things you have to say to populate their story, they have no story. They have the ability to ask the questions, yes, but that’s where their influence on you stops. You, though, have the ability to a) answer those questions or not and b, most importantly) decide how to answer them. All the power lies on your side of the ledger.
I’ll explain in more detail why that’s true in the coming days.
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