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Executive Rewind: Interrupted Answers

Interviewer interruptions can be maddening, but the secret is to stop, listen, and stay on message.

Interruptions are a symptom of a number of possible things. Your interviewer has their own agenda to promote. Or, you’re not getting to the point and things you say keep raising new questions. Or, you make an incredible statement that screams to be challenged. Or, the interviewer is not paying attention, thinking instead of about the next question, comes up with it, and breaks in.

Whatever. No matter what the reason, you can control only your end of this exchange.

Often lots of interruptions are the result of an adversarial environment. That can heighten emotions and take on a feel of combat. If you fall into that trap, chances are very good you’ll loose.

As hard as it seems at the moment, you’re best off making sure you’ve parked your emotions outside of the room. Bring passion, yes, but not anger, to the interview.

Roth ban's junk food

The Combatants

Meredith Roth is a very proactive mom looking out for the welfare of kids, women and families. She’s on the frontline of several issues, including childhood obesity. She took her fight to the studios of Fox News Channel one afternoon and ran into a human Cuisinart named Stuart Varney. A Brit by birth, Varney is a rabid proponent of free choice. And his feelings were clearly on his proverbial sleeve when Ms. Roth brought her latest campaign to his turf.

Roth’s proposal: ban all but healthy foods for kids in her local New Jersey school district. Varney’s reaction: what gives you the right?

The interview gets off to a courteous start. Varney gives Roth some time to establish her position. But, it’s not long before the verbal fencing begins. Starting with the following exchange.

Varney:	"You want to ban it…and dictate the diet of my children. What principle do you invoke? What right do you have to do that?"
Roth:	"I think that given that this generation of children is the first to be given a lesser life expectancy than their parents…"

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Roth’s first response is solid and pretty persuasive. But, Varney’s trigger has been pulled. At one point, Roth even says, "I feel like you’re trying to be more sensational than I would like to be." She maintains her composure pretty well, considering Varney’s repeated in-your-face interruptions. But the collision of agendas, especially by an over-zealous interviewer trying to steam roll the guest, interferes and becomes the story, instead.

The Media Trainers® Re–winder Reminder:

When you’re interrupted, stop, don’t compete with the interviewer. It’s especially difficult in a live broadcast interview to understand what’s being said by whom when two or more people are talking at the same time. Ever been frustrated by two opposing guests shouting at each other during a live news interview?
If you’re interrupted in the middle of an important answer (message), allow the interruption, say you’ll respond to the new question in a moment, then go back to your answer and re-state it in full.
Keep your cool. Interruptions can be (often are) annoying. They may be designed to provoke you. Don’t fall for it.

The Media Trainers®, LLC, has a Tough Questions eBook on our Web site that you can download free for easy reference.

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