Runaway train syndrome
Just saw one of these TV interviews this morning - you know the kind - the guest breathlessly rattles out an answer and the interviewer has to cut in to ask the next question and you can see or feel the guest literally shaking with anticipation to jump in again and continue talking. Often they don’t fully hear the actual question and continue on the path they originally started down. And to make matters worse, the pace is usually too fast and the tone is monotonous, so the audience has even more trouble getting the message. That’s runaway train syndrome.
You see this most often with nervous first-timers on live TV, but it can happen to anyone. You need to get yourself back on track through more practice, better preparation, media coaching, etc, and that all starts by recording your practice interviews and then making sure you get copies of your real interviews so you can keep tabs on potential problems.
Posted: January 26th, 2007 under Media Interview Preparation, The Fear Factor, Your Presentation.