Let Your Eyes Do the Talking

There are obvious things that people do that can destroy their media interviews and there are some things that are more subtle, but still shouldn't be done. Here are three important tips that most people have rarely thought about, even those who have done media interviews.

They also need to look in the right direction when they speak to reporters. Here's why making one of these three mistakes can hold you back.

Slash the Shades

A few times this summer I’ve noticed people wearing sunglasses being interviewed on the TV news. They should have taken them off before the interview.

Don’t get me wrong, most people look cool when they wear shades and have for years. However, when they’re doing TV interviews they should take them off before they get the first question from the reporter.

Your eyes help you communicate. Your eyes convey different emotions, so in the same way that facial expressions and the use of hands convey emotions, your eyes do too, just not as much.

When somebody speaks to me with sunglasses on, I sense a barrier that hinders communication. It’s like a thin curtain has been pulled between us.

Some may suggest sunglasses make sense on a bright day because the person might be squinting and that’s possible, but any professional camera operator will find the best angle to make sure the person being interviewed isn’t looking into the sun.

I always make the same suggestion when photos are taken. Lose the sunglasses for the shot because when I can’t see your eyes, it’s more difficult to know what you look like.

This summer I golfed with a guy I had never met before and he wore dark sunglasses the entire round. When we shook hands on the 18^th green he took off his hat and sunglasses and I thought to myself “Oh that’s what you look like.”

The Chuck Schumer Look

Along the same lines, it’s also important for anyone being interviewed on TV, or on video to ensure their glasses are sitting properly on their nose. Your eyes should be in the middle of your frames. Too often I find people’s glasses have slipped down and the bridge of their glasses are in front of their eyes.

Once again, your eyes help you communicate. Anything that gets in the way detracts from what you’re saying. It’s similar to people with hair that hangs down in front of their eyes or blows across their face. If people can’t see your eyes, you’re fighting a losing battle when it comes to communication. Likewise, baseball caps pulled down over your forehead can be equally as disruptive.

Then we get to what I call the “Chuck Schumer Look.” He’s the long-time Senator from New York who often holds news conferences with his glasses at the end of his nose. I know he needs his glasses to read, but my advice to him would be to stop reading and remember what he needs to say. If he has to make sure he has something right, then put on the glasses to read it and put them away when he’s done. He would have a much better look.

Finally, glasses and sunglasses have no place on top of the person’s head during media interviews. Take them off because anything needless takes away from your look.

You don’t score bonus points in media interviews for looking cool. You’re losing any time something detracts from your message.

Look at Me

I still get asked the question about where people should look during TV interviews. Do I look at the reporter, or into the camera?

With very few exceptions, you look at the reporter and don’t even think about the camera.

Too often people being interviewed by a reporter standing next to them don’t look at the reporter and nobody is worse at doing this than athletes and coaches.

Recently I was watching a CFL game and at the end of halftime the sideline reporter was interviewing a coach. The coach never looked at the reporter as he gave his canned responses to the team’s play in the first half and what they had to do better in the second half. He stared straight ahead. After awhile, the sideline reporter wasn’t even looking at the coach. She was staring straight ahead too. It was awkward.

A simple rule is to look at the reporter when you’re giving your answer and also when the reporter is asking questions. The same applies to general communication. Eye contact is important. It’s a vital part of good communication.

When you’re communicating with someone over video it gets tricky. Here’s where most people get it wrong. They look at the person they’re talking to on their computer screen. Unfortunately, when you do that you’re not actually looking at the person. When you want to speak to someone, look directly into your camera. That way you’ll be looking at the person and people you’re talking to.

Far too often I see people looking at their computer screens when they talk and it’s not a good look. The simple rule is you should always look at the person you’re speaking to. Looking at them on your screen doesn’t cut it. You need to look into the camera on your device when you speak.

Lose the sunglasses, adjust your glasses so your eyes are in the middle of the frames and look into the camera during video interviews and meetings. You’ll thank me when you see the difference.