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Dealing with ‘big name’ CEOs

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Episode 7 looks at a nerve-wracking subject for many young journalists: interviewing big name business leaders. The episode offers some advice on how to plot interview strategy. Here are some questions you can ask your students as part of a discussion.

  1. Have you ever found yourself intimidated by a CEO or a famous corporate executive?
  2. Did your feelings get in the way of doing a good interview? Or were you able to overcome them?
  3. What tips do you have for members of the class when they have to interview CEOs or famous people?
  4. Tell us your ideas for keeping control of an interview when it’s clear the person is “on message” and trying to avoid giving you something new.
  5. Was there a situation where you were able to get a scoop or something new from a famous person?
  6. Who do you think has the upper hand in interviews, the journalist or the interview subject?

Author

  • Micheline Maynard

    Micheline is a contributing columnist at the Washington Post concentrating on business and culture. She has written about flooding in Detroit, tainted water in Benton Harbor, nationwide shortages of restaurant staff, and vaccine hesitancy.

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