6.4 Managing challenging interviewees in journalism
4 min read•august 6, 2024
Journalists often face challenging interviewees who are hostile, evasive, or difficult to manage. Staying calm, using active listening, and employing emotional intelligence can help diffuse tension and keep the conversation on track. Preparation is key to handling tough situations.
Effective techniques like redirection, persistence, and strategic use of silence can help journalists get the information they need. Thorough research, clear objectives, and well-crafted questions allow interviewers to anticipate and navigate challenges while maintaining professionalism and .
Dealing with Difficult Behaviors
Managing Hostile Interviewees
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- Hostile interviewees may become aggressive, confrontational, or uncooperative during an interview
- Remain calm and professional, avoiding emotional reactions that could escalate the situation
- Use active listening techniques to demonstrate understanding and empathy, which can help diffuse tension
- Reframe questions in a neutral, non-threatening manner to encourage more constructive responses
- If the hostility persists, consider ending the interview gracefully to maintain journalistic integrity and personal safety
Recognizing and Responding to Evasive Answers
- Evasive answers occur when interviewees avoid directly addressing questions, often by providing vague or irrelevant responses
- Pay attention to non-verbal cues, such as body language and tone of voice, which can indicate discomfort or deception (fidgeting, avoiding eye contact)
- Use follow-up questions to probe deeper and encourage more specific answers, while maintaining a respectful and professional demeanor
- Rephrase questions from different angles to make evasion more difficult and to obtain the desired information
- If the interviewee continues to evade, consider directly addressing the evasion and asking for clarification or a more direct response
Employing Emotional Intelligence in Challenging Situations
- Emotional intelligence involves the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others
- In challenging interview situations, use empathy to build rapport and trust with the interviewee, creating a more comfortable and open environment
- Practice self-awareness and self-regulation to maintain composure and avoid letting personal emotions interfere with the interview process
- Utilize de-escalation strategies, such as speaking in a calm and measured tone, acknowledging the interviewee's concerns, and finding common ground to reduce tension and promote constructive dialogue
- Adapt your communication style to the interviewee's emotional state and needs, demonstrating flexibility and understanding to maintain a productive interview
Effective Interviewing Techniques
Redirection and Persistence in Interviews
- Redirection techniques involve guiding the conversation back to the main topic or desired line of questioning when an interviewee strays off-course
- Use transitional phrases or questions to smoothly redirect the conversation, such as "That's an interesting point, but I'd like to focus on..." or "Circling back to our earlier discussion about..."
- Persistence is essential when pursuing important information or answers, but it must be balanced with respect for the interviewee
- Ask follow-up questions and politely press for more detail when necessary, while avoiding becoming overly aggressive or confrontational
- If the interviewee continues to avoid answering, consider rephrasing the question or approaching the topic from a different angle to encourage a more direct response
Utilizing Silence and Fact Confrontation
- Silence can be a powerful tool in interviews, allowing the interviewee time to reflect and elaborate on their answers
- After asking a question, maintain eye contact and wait patiently for the interviewee to respond, resisting the urge to fill the silence prematurely
- Silence can also create a sense of discomfort that may encourage the interviewee to provide more information to fill the void
- Fact confrontation involves presenting the interviewee with verified information that contradicts their statements or challenges their narrative
- When confronting an interviewee with facts, do so calmly and objectively, citing reliable sources and giving them an opportunity to respond or clarify their position
- Use fact confrontation sparingly and strategically, as overuse can damage rapport and lead to a more adversarial interview dynamic
Interview Preparation and Strategy
Conducting Thorough Research and Setting Objectives
- Interview preparation is crucial for conducting effective and informative interviews
- Research the interviewee's background, expertise, and previous statements or publications to develop well-informed and targeted questions
- Identify the key objectives of the interview, such as obtaining specific information, exploring a particular theme, or challenging a certain narrative
- Prioritize the most important questions and topics to ensure they are addressed during the interview, while remaining flexible to pursue unexpected lines of inquiry
- Anticipate potential challenges, such as evasive answers or hostile behavior, and develop strategies to navigate these situations effectively
Crafting Questions and Anticipating Challenges
- Craft open-ended questions that encourage detailed and reflective responses, rather than simple yes-or-no answers
- Structure questions in a logical sequence that builds upon previous answers and guides the conversation towards the desired objectives
- Prepare follow-up questions and probes to elicit more information or clarify ambiguous responses
- Anticipate potential challenges, such as the interviewee's reluctance to discuss certain topics or their tendency to provide evasive answers
- Develop contingency plans and alternative approaches to address these challenges, such as rephrasing questions, using silence strategically, or confronting the interviewee with facts when necessary
- Maintain a balance between pursuing the interview's objectives and respecting the interviewee's boundaries and comfort level, adapting the approach as needed to maintain a productive and professional dialogue
Key Terms to Review (16)
Assertive Communication: Assertive communication is a style of interaction that involves expressing one's thoughts, feelings, and needs in a clear, honest, and respectful manner. This approach fosters an environment where all parties feel valued and understood, allowing for productive dialogue and resolution of conflicts. It's essential for managing challenging interviewees, as it helps maintain control while also encouraging openness and honesty in responses.
Calm demeanor: A calm demeanor refers to a composed and relaxed manner of presenting oneself, which can convey confidence and control in various situations. This quality is particularly important when managing challenging interviewees, as it can help defuse tension and create a more conducive environment for open dialogue.
Clarifying Questions: Clarifying questions are inquiries made during a conversation or interview that seek to ensure understanding of a topic or to gain more specific information. They are essential for effective communication, helping to reduce misunderstandings and deepen the conversation, while also supporting the interviewer in actively engaging with the interviewee's responses.
Cognitive dissonance: Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort or tension that arises when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes. This state of conflict can lead individuals to change their beliefs, justify their behavior, or downplay the importance of the conflicting belief in order to restore internal harmony. In the context of managing challenging interviewees in journalism, understanding cognitive dissonance can help interviewers navigate difficult conversations and elicit more genuine responses.
Empathetic response: An empathetic response is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, often conveyed through verbal and non-verbal communication. This type of response fosters a connection between the interviewer and the interviewee, making it easier to create trust and rapport. By acknowledging the emotions and perspectives of others, empathetic responses can help guide conversations, especially when sensitive topics arise.
Establishing common ground: Establishing common ground refers to the process of finding shared beliefs, values, or experiences between the interviewer and interviewee to foster trust and rapport. This connection is crucial in managing challenging interviewees, as it can lead to a more open and cooperative dialogue. By identifying mutual interests or concerns, an interviewer can create a more comfortable environment, which is especially helpful when navigating difficult or sensitive topics.
Evasive interviewee: An evasive interviewee is someone who avoids direct answers during an interview, often using vague language or deflecting questions. This behavior can stem from various reasons, such as fear of repercussions or a desire to manipulate the conversation. Understanding how to manage such interviewees is crucial for journalists seeking clear and honest information.
Hostile interviewee: A hostile interviewee is an individual who reacts negatively during an interview, often displaying anger, defensiveness, or aggression. This type of interviewee can pose significant challenges for journalists, as their emotional responses may hinder the flow of conversation and complicate the gathering of information.
Informed Consent: Informed consent is the process of obtaining permission from an individual before conducting an interview or gathering sensitive information, ensuring that the person fully understands what participation involves. This includes clearly explaining the purpose of the interview, how the information will be used, and any potential risks, thus protecting the rights and privacy of the interviewee.
Journalistic integrity: Journalistic integrity refers to the ethical standards and principles that guide journalists in their reporting, ensuring accuracy, fairness, and accountability. It encompasses a commitment to truthfulness and independence, allowing journalists to present information responsibly while respecting their audience's trust. This integrity is crucial when managing difficult interviewees, handling sensitive off-the-record information, and conducting landmark interviews that shape public perception.
Nonverbal cues: Nonverbal cues are the various signals we send through body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and eye contact that can convey messages without the use of words. These cues are crucial for effective communication and can enhance understanding, build rapport, and even influence the emotional tone of an interaction.
Pre-interview scripting: Pre-interview scripting is the process of preparing and writing down potential questions, topics, and responses before conducting an interview. This strategy helps interviewers manage the conversation effectively, especially when dealing with challenging interviewees who may become defensive or uncooperative. It serves as a roadmap for the interviewer to guide the discussion and ensure all relevant points are covered while remaining adaptable to the interviewee's reactions.
Probing questions: Probing questions are follow-up inquiries designed to encourage deeper responses and elicit more information from interviewees. They help clarify, expand, or explore the thoughts and feelings of the person being interviewed, allowing the interviewer to gain a richer understanding of the topic at hand.
Redirecting Questions: Redirecting questions is a technique used in interviews to steer the conversation back to relevant topics or to clarify points when an interviewee strays off-course. This method helps maintain focus, ensures that important information is covered, and allows the interviewer to manage the dynamics of the conversation effectively. By using redirecting questions, interviewers can regain control and encourage more informative responses from their subjects.
Researching background: Researching background refers to the process of gathering relevant information about a subject, individual, or topic before conducting an interview. This preparation helps interviewers understand the context, anticipate challenges, and engage effectively with their interviewees, especially when they may present difficulties during the conversation.
Trust-building techniques: Trust-building techniques are methods used to establish a sense of reliability and confidence between the interviewer and the interviewee. These techniques are essential in creating an open dialogue, especially when dealing with challenging interviewees who may be resistant to sharing information. By employing these techniques, interviewers can foster a rapport that encourages candidness and cooperation during the interview process.