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Avoid Absolutes - Use P.U.N.G.
During an interview, avoid
using absolutes that box you into a corner.
When you use absolutes such as "always" and
"never" you leave yourself open to the
exception that could discredit you and your
organization. Rather than say, "We always
take the following steps ... " or "We would never proceed without
..." use P.U.N.G., which stands for Probably, Usually, Normally and Generally:
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It probably happened
because ...
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We usually take five
steps before proceeding ...
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We normally wait three
months before ...
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Generally our policy is
to ...
By using P.U.N.G., if an
exception is identified, you will not have
to defend your information as you would if
you used an absolute. Also, your credibility
is not damaged and you will feel much more
in control during the interview.
The
"Media Interview Tip of the
Month" is taken from my book,
Winning Media Interviews: Sure-Fire Tactics
to Get Your Messages Out. Feel free to
share my tips with your staff and
colleagues. I would like to hear from you
about using the techniques I discuss in my
book. Also, send me a note and let me know
if it is okay to share your comments with
others on this web page (to contact Steve go
here.)
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