Quick PR Tip: Don’t Babble to Fill the Silence

This has nothing to do with deception. This has everything to do with controlling your impulse to fill awkward silences with chatter.

Eric Bergman says it well when he advises clients to Pause, Answer the Question, and Stop Talking.

Smart reporters will leave those silences, knowing that some people feel obligated to fill them with whatever conversation they can think of.

Whether you’re in a media interview, a negotiation, or an intervention with a direct report who has screwed up, focus on getting your point across, then stop talking. This doesn’t mean you can’t say anything. Just don’t feel like you have to.

Photo via The Cubes.

Tags: media training, interviews, public speaking, communication, journalists, eric bergman, silence