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Executive Rewind: Why Go Negative?
Microsoft’s Steve Balmer gives analysts the metrics on how to judge the (possible) failure of Vista.
Just because reporters are looking for negatives, that doesn’t mean you have to serve them up on a silver platter. No, this is not a lesson in “spin.” TMT preaches honesty and responsiveness. But you still have the right to answer questions on your own terms.
It takes mental discipline and practice, but most negative questions can be answered in a positive way, increasing the strength of your message delivery.
As you know, Microsoft recently released its newest operating system, Vista. Each time the company has introduced a new generation OS, it’s pretty much made the case that the product is very important to its image, reputation and bank account. So, when CEO Steve Balmer gave a rare interview, he did not try to underplay Vista’s importance to Microsoft.
In a one-on-one sit down with Fox New Channel’s Stuart Varney, Balmer had a terrific opportunity to keep his messaging positive, a trait that his chairman, Bill Gates, has mastered over the years. But, Balmer, instead, picked up on negative tone of Varney’s statement (it wasn’t even posed as a question, but more of a challenge) and simply extended the theme.
Varney: “If Microsoft stock does not move above 30 and stay well above 30, Vista is a failure.”
Balmer: “I can’t draw that conclusion. Vista, if our customers don’t find it a major step forward; if our customers don’t buy it in record volume; if it doesn’t help us deepen our penetration and broaden our impact…then, it hasn’t met its task.”
A golden opportunity missed. If only Balmer had resisted the challenge to compete with Varney on a negative plane, giving Microsoft’s detractors and those who closely watch the company and its stock, all the measurements of failure, as seen by the CEO. If only Balmer had paused just long enough to give himself time to respond in positive terms:
“Here’s how we see it. Vista will be a major step forward for our customers. We expect them to buy it in record volumes and it will deepen our penetration and broaden our impact.”
Again, this takes practice and discipline. Many—indeed, probably the majority of—questions are posed in negative terms. Knowing that, you need to be prepared to mentally edit yourself to respond in a positive way in order to communicate strong, persuasive messages to your target audiences.
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The Media Trainers® Re–winder Reminder:
- You are responsible for how your audiences perceive you, for the impressions you make through your messaging. You need to make sure you know how to do that effectively and effortlessly.
- Interviews are not conversations, despite the fact that they have many of the same characteristics. Interviews are opportunities to reach important audiences with strong, positive, persuasive messages.
- Rehearse. Anticipate all the negative questions you can imagine. Have staff and colleagues role play with you. If they serve up softballs, they’re not doing you any favors, just trying to protect themselves. Tell them to stop and start throwing curves and hardballs.
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The Media Trainers®, LLC, has a Tough Questions eBook on our Web site that you can download free for easy reference.
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What’s your reaction to these performances? Which executives perform best on camera and which ones are awful?
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