It takes a certain amount of courage to do a live interview.  Even the most seasoned speakers make a gaffe that lives in infamy.  A recent Wall Street Journal article called “Keeping Your Foot Away From Your Mouth” recaps some of the more notable misspoken comments.  Just one slip of the tongue can often remain memorable for years.

The author doesn’t really say how to prevent the mistakes.  That’s what a good public relations counselor can do via media training sessions.    With practice, some dynamic Q and A, and a dash of wariness (some reporters do try to elicit the possible faux pas in the era of ‘gotcha’ journalism!), chances of misspeaking can be minimized.

A good public relations advisor will find out about the interviewer, anticipate questions and risk areas, coach the client, encourage brevity (the less you say, the less likely you are to say something stupid) and keep his or her fingers crossed. With the media, the adage “Think before you speak” couldn’t be truer. Check out the article on Boardroom’s website at http://www.boardroompr.com/news/keeping-your-foot-away-from-your-mouth/

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