Earlier this month, Atalanta delivered a public speaking and media training workshop for an early-stage research organisation in preparation for their global public launch later this year. Led by Elizabeth Ames, Chief Executive Officer, and Austyn Close, Senior Account Director, with the support of Lizzie Lloyd, Account Manager, the session brought together the organisation’s entire staff to explore best practices for engaging with the media, learn from real-world examples of what not to do, and put new skills into practice.
Building Confidence in Public Speaking
Given the range of media experience across the team and the fact that many of the scientists were not native English speakers, Elizabeth began with the fundamentals of building confidence in public speaking. She emphasised that effective communication is a skill anyone can master by focusing on three core components:
Preparation to ensure that you can recall key information under pressure.
Practice to become comfortable with the platform on which you’ll be speaking.
Resilience to maintain composure when the unexpected inevitably happens.
Mastering Media Engagement
Austyn then guided the team through the key principles of working with journalists. He highlighted the importance of sounding natural and relaxed, while always remembering that everything is potentially on the record, even after an interview ends.
He shared techniques for handling difficult questions, including the ‘satisfy and steer’ method, emphasised the value of being concise to deliver memorable soundbites, and advised the team to ‘keep their receipts' by recording their conversations so that they can be cross-checked against published stories if necessary.
Finally, he identified the tailored approaches required for different types of media, from TV and radio to podcasts and print, to ensure that the organisation’s key messages reach audiences effectively in every format.
Learning from Real-World Examples
Drawing on some high-profile political missteps, Elizabeth and Austyn also highlighted some common pitfalls to avoid, from Sarah Palin’s problematic backdrops during interviews on the 2008 US Presidential Campaign trial, to Australia’s then Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s hot mic moment, and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman falling for a prank critiquing her immigration policies. These examples all highlighted how a slip-up can overshadow or derail a media moment’s objective, and often outlast their political context.
Putting Skills into Practice
The workshop then concluded with practical exercises. Participants paired up for mock interviews in front of the group, who offered constructive feedback, before progressing to recorded one-on-one interviews with a camera crew. It was wonderful to hear more about the team’s background and expertise in their responses and see confidence grow throughout the day.
Atalanta specialises in helping organisations prepare for critical moments of media visibility, whether it is a major global launch or ongoing relationship-building with journalists. If you’d like to learn more about our services, follow the link here, or if you’d like to find out more about how we can help your organisation communicate with impact, follow the link here.
