AVOIDING ANDREA LEADSOM-STYLE TRAIN WRECKS

Tory MP Andrea Leadsom was a loose cannon who said whatever she was thinking. That's a dangerous mix in a high stakes media interview.

Leadsom's tweet of denial

A transcript of what she said.

Geoffrey Stackhouse, Managing Director, Clarity Solutions

Andrea Leadsom, Britain's latest disgraced politician, shows just how career limiting a botched media interview can be. 

Her train wreck interview was an 'own goal'. She wasn't savaged by a journalist, she just made foolish comments that exposed her lack of judgement and questionable ability as a human being. 
 
Then she turned the issue into a crisis by denying that she'd made the comments and accusing The Times of 'spin and underhanded tactics'.  

Attacking the journalist forced The Times' Deputy Editor Emma Tucker, to tweet an audio recording and transcript of the interview.

When I think about all the most cringe worthy train wreck interviews I've seen - Kevin Andrews, Jamie Diaz's election pitch, every time Pauline Hanson opens her mouth - it's not because a journalist was out to get them.

​It most often comes about as a result of their own lack of judgement.

While media training can help you keep safe, you can't train against stupid.

Good quality media training will transform the way you engage with journalists.

With a dash of commonsense it will keep you safe and enable you to demonstrate your thought leadership with frameworks to distill your insights, deliver a compelling argument and keep the conversation focussed on your area of expertise. 

An experienced trainer, supported by a skilled journalist, will create a safe environment so you can learn from your mistakes. You can road test your messages and see how they look in black and white, or as a soundbite.

And if you do make a gaffe clarify it in the interview, or as soon as possible afterwards, and never blame the journo.

​Recovery and forgiveness are possible - even French MP Rachida Dati bounced back after she confused the words for an economic term and a sexual act, on live breakfast TV.

How do you avoid a train wreck own goal? It's not that hard. 

Have a game plan for every interview - get the basic facts clear in your mind and know what you want people to be thinking and feeling when they've consumed your story.

Bounce your insights off a thought partner for a reality check - are they critical or negative, are they right, do they tell the story you need them to tell?

If it goes wrong apologise. Don't bully or bluster, 'fess up and clarify.