Page 94 - How To Sell Yourself

Selling Yourself in Confrontation and Media Interviews 93 7
Selling Yourself in Confrontation and Media Interviews
IT’S AMAZING HOW confrontational we are.
Confrontation has become increasingly prevalent in commu- nication. It often replaces civilized dialogue. People with oppos- ing views start shouting, arguing, and going through the verbal equivalent of a fistfight. Unfortunately, there’s no escape.
Every day we get to see the media practicing its version of “investigative journalism.” We’re constantly watching reporters play “gotcha” with politicians, business leaders, healthcare pro- fessionals, and clergy. No one is immune from the treatment. If you woke up this morning, you’re fair game. In fact, not even the coffin excuses you from the treatment.
More and more, we’re subjected to a right-leaning TV analyst facing off against a left-leaning colleague. They’re really close friends, but arguments build ratings, so they yell and scream at each other for half an hour, then go out and enjoy dinner together.
The aura they create is that incivility is acceptable. Just as violence in film and television often inspires copycat acts, so, too, do tabloid television and hate radio.
The “me” syndrome
We watch otherwise decent people behaving as though the world belongs to them. You’ve seen the person whose flight was cancelled screaming at the gate agent. Or the person at the checkout counter, yelling at the store clerk. Or the parent of the little leaguer who thinks the coach made a colossal mistake and disapproves in an
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