Episode #246: How To Be A Star in Business Interviews

How can leaders avoid high-risk moments when speaking to the media, podcasts, or business panels?

Many executives worry about saying the wrong thing in a public interview. This fear is justified: depending on the journalist, publication, or current business climate, a media appearance can become a reputational risk.
However, most formats today — especially Chamber of Commerce panels and podcasts — are not designed as “gotcha” situations. For Japanese companies (日本企業 Japanese companies) and multinational firms (外資系企業 foreign-affiliated companies) in Tokyo, the real challenge is staying concise, credible, and prepared.

Mini-Summary:
Media risk comes from uncertainty. Structure and preparation dramatically reduce that risk.

Interviewers typically press further for two reasons:

1. A statement lacks context for the audience.
   You know the topic deeply, but the audience doesn’t — so the host asks for clarification. This is easy to handle.

2. A statement is weak or based on shallow knowledge.
   The moment an interviewer pushes, it becomes clear you can’t expand meaningfully. This leads to vague, unconvincing “fluff.”

What’s the best approach?

Speak only about areas where you have experience, research, expert input, or mastery.
If you hit a question outside your depth, say:
“I don’t have much to say on that topic, but one area I can speak to with confidence is…”
This protects your personal brand while maintaining authority — essential in leadership contexts such as リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching).

Mini-Summary:
Avoid guessing. Redirect to your expertise to preserve authority and credibility.

For media interviews, you can usually receive the question list — but expect a few surprise items designed to create headlines.
For business panels and podcasts, the environment is more predictable:

• Panels: You’ll receive a general theme. The discussion may shift unpredictably but remains on broad rails.

• Podcasts: You should receive a set list of questions. If the host claims to “let the muse guide them,” consider avoiding that appearance unless you’re extremely confident.

Mini-Summary:
Ask for questions in advance. It reduces risk and aligns you with the event’s purpose.

Reading from notes is unrealistic — the pace moves too quickly.
Instead:

• Glanceable notes help as backup.

• Mental calibration is usually enough.

• Trust your expertise — that’s why you were invited.

The biggest danger is talking too long.
Panel moderators dislike when speakers dominate the stage, and podcast hosts will simply edit heavily. Concise, high-value answers always outperform long explanations.

Mini-Summary:
Prepare clearly but speak naturally. Brevity enhances your executive presence.

Treat interviews as public performances. Just as professionals rehearse keynote speeches during leadership or DEI研修 (DEI training), executives should rehearse interview responses:

• Trim unnecessary detail

• Keep messages sharp

• Deliver concise and memorable insights

Most panelists and podcast guests will not rehearse — giving you a powerful edge in authority and clarity.

Mini-Summary:
Rehearsal refines your message and strengthens your personal brand.

• Speak only from areas of real expertise; redirect when necessary.

• Request guiding questions early to reduce unpredictability.

• Prepare thoroughly but stay concise — long answers weaken impact.

• Rehearsal elevates your brand and differentiates you from other guests.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for more than a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has helped both Japanese companies (日本企業 Japanese companies) and multinational organizations (外資系企業 foreign-affiliated companies) strengthen performance and communication across all levels of leadership.