One of the most important rules in media training is this:
Your audience decides what your message is—not you.
Earlier this year, Air Canada found itself facing criticism after a video tribute from CEO Michael Rousseau following a tragic accident. The intended message was one of sympathy and respect for the victims and their families. Instead, much of the public conversation focused on the CEO’s inability to communicate in French and what that represented to many Canadians. The controversy quickly became the story.
Whether you agree with the criticism or not is beside the point.
The communications lesson is that audiences rarely judge a message in isolation. They view it through the lens of expectations, context and credibility.
In media interviews and public presentations, we often see the same challenge. Leaders focus intensely on what they want to say but spend less time considering how the audience is likely to receive it.
A spokesperson may have accurate information, but if they appear defensive, that becomes the story.
A CEO may have a strong announcement, but if they seem unprepared, that becomes the story.
An organization may be expressing genuine concern, but if the delivery misses audience expectations, the conversation can quickly shift away from the intended message.
Before any media interview, presentation or public statement, ask yourself three questions:
What do I want people to remember?
What might distract from that message?
How will this be interpreted by audiences who do not already agree with me?
The best communicators don’t just prepare their message.
They prepare for how their audience will experience it.
And sometimes, that distinction makes all the difference.
