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A while back, a career coach client of mine asked me to listen to her podcast interviews. She didn't believe they "sounded good".

Part of the problem was that she hadn't yet discovered exactly how to package herself and her expertise. Not ideal, of course, but that's completely in her power to fix.

On the flip side, however, it was glaringly obvious which interviewers were prepared, and which were not. The more prepared the interviewer, the better my client did: she was authentic, accessible, clear and empathetic.

That speaks volumes, and the message is: preparation is key, no matter which side of the mic is yours.

The first book I read this year was Lawrence Grobel’s The Art of the Interview. It’s a fascinating read through and through, but what really stood out to me is a simple quote:

"Know your material. Know what you have... and what you need".

This statement was made in reference to documentary films specifically, but it can apply to your own story as well. If there’s only one thing I could leave with my clients and my followers, it’s this: knowing your own story, how the pieces of your journey fit together, and how they connect with audiences… all of these are what make storytelling so powerful.

It all sounds a bit fantastic, though, doesn’t it? It’s one thing to say this, but you might ask yourself, “How does this fit in with a business presentation, a pitch, or a keynote address which is for a highly technical audience?”

Not the case. Interviews allow you to determine subtext - what lies beneath what you actually do. These can be motivations, origin stories, or truly, anything that inspires you. Most of the clients with whom I have worked either haven’t examined this closely, or it has been a long time - either is fine, as long as they are willing to do the work now.

The work is preparation. In his book, Grobel writes at length about preparation. While he examines preparation on the part of the interviewer, it’s equally as important for interviewer and interviewee.

As the interviewer, the speechwriter has to already be versed in the story of the speaker. As the interviewee, the speaker also has to be well versed in their story, but in a different way.

It requires being open to including some things that might make you feel a bit vulnerable. It requires knowing which things to not include because they don’t best represent you or your message.

It’s about knowing your story and your value.