Remember when you were a kid and you had to stand up in front of your whole class to perform a speech? How many of you choked under pressure? Whether it was forgetting what you were going to say or choking on your words, it was a blow to your self-esteem. We’ve all experienced performance anxiety at some point of our lives. In elementary school, this would result in some serious embarrassment and maybe a bad grade. Unfortunately for CEO’s and business owners, the repercussions could be far worse.
We’ve all seen how easily start-ups can grow, building an empire in what seems like minutes, while others fail just as quickly as they started. What's one common factor that can make or break a business's success? How they portray themselves in the media. With the weight of this truth on CEO and business owner’s shoulders, no wonder we often see them choking under pressure.
Media training is a great way to prepare a CEO or a business owner for an interview. With reporters and journalists being notorious for asking grueling questions, media training will ensure that the interviewee portrays themselves and the company they are representing in the best possible light.
If there is anything we’ve learned through our years of schooling, it’s that practice makes perfect. The only way to build up your confidence in the workplace, especially as a CEO, is to practice public speaking. Media training gives you the opportunity to practice in front of both a camera and a skilled professional, who will offer you all their tips and tricks to mastering an interview. Taking up a new skill as an adult is never easy, but with the support of an expert in all things media, it will be much less overwhelming.
When it comes to being a business owner or a CEO, in order to think like a leader, you need the confidence to believe that you are a leader. When you have the confidence to be a leader, others will respect you as a superior, as a company, and as a CEO.
What is Media Training?
Media training is a training program that assists you in representing your company or organization to the media. It involves teaching participants about common interview mistakes, the do’s and don'ts of interviews, and how to think on your feet. Part of media training is having on-camera drills, which exposes trainees to being on camera (sometimes for the first time). Participants are able to go back and watch the videos, highlighting both their strengths and their weaknesses, aiding them in self-correcting.
Why is Media Training Helpful?
Media training can help prepare entrepreneurs to anticipate probing or controversial questions, avoid common traps, and to help them build the confidence they need in order to showcase their company in a positive light.
How does Media Training Build Confidence?
Being on live television can be scary and overwhelming, especially for those who are new to being on camera. Media training…
Teaches you how to use your words, facial expressions, and body language in order to deliver your message
Teaches you how to deliver your key points clearly and concisely, ensuring that the interview unfolds seamlessly
Helps to prepare you for difficult questions, assisting you in anticipating where the direction of the conversation will go, while allowing you to prepare answers to these unexpected questions
Teaches you how to express yourself in a way that is not open to interpretation, avoiding the possibility of your words getting misconstrued
Helps you take control of the interview, steering it in the direction you desire
Exposes you to be on camera in order to build your confidence, reducing shyness and performance anxiety
Allows you to watch yourself on camera, giving you the insight needed to practice what you need to improve upon
Important tips you will learn to help foster confidence:
1.Talk in soundbites
keeping it short and sweet help people remember what you said, why you said it and will help amplify the message
2. Use unambiguous language
Be direct and use language that is easily understood by anyone
3. Be honest
Honesty is always the best policy; people will appreciate your candor
4. Be tactful
Using a phrase like “give me a moment to think about that” can buy you some time to come up with a tactful response to an unforeseen question
Some final tips on how to use media training to boost your confidence:
1. Practice, practice, practice!
2. Be yourself
Viewers will feel if you are scripted or being disingenuous. Let your truest and most authentic self shine through!
3. Be gentle with yourself
Confidence with media training isn’t built in a day, it’s an ongoing process- take it day by day
4. Celebrate small wins
Your confidence will continue to bloom with each victory, big or small
5. Do something to calm your nerves
When you’re nervous, you are more likely to make a mistake, to fumble on your words or to come off as inauthentic. Committing to a pre-interview ritual like deep breathing, meditation or affirmations, will calm your nerves and boost your confidence
6. HAVE FUN!
Don’t take yourself too seriously, and enjoy the process!