Episode #65: Interview By Guy Perryman Tokyo InterFM 897

Why do interviews feel harder than presenting on stage?

When you present to an audience, you control the flow: your message, your timing, and your delivery. Interviews flip that equation. In radio, podcast, or TV formats, the interviewer controls the direction, and the final edit may reshape your intent. That loss of control can be unsettling — especially for executives who are used to leading the narrative.

Mini-summary: Interviews are tougher because you surrender content direction and editing control. The solution is preparation for adaptability, not scripting.

Radio and podcasts rely almost entirely on voice. Without visuals, your credibility, clarity, energy, and warmth must travel through sound alone. Every phrase, pause, and change in tone is amplified. This is why vocal variety and clear structure matter so much in audio-only media.

Mini-summary: In audio interviews, your voice carries the entire message, so clarity and vocal energy become mission-critical.

Most interviews don’t provide a script. You may know the broad theme, but the exact wording — and angle — arrives in real time. That means your skill is not memorizing answers; it’s thinking fast while keeping your response engaging and useful to listeners.

The key is to:

• Listen for the intent behind the question.

• Answer with a clear point first.

• Then expand with a story or example.

• Close by linking back to the audience’s needs.

Mini-summary: You don’t need perfect foresight; you need a repeatable response structure that works under pressure.

Interesting content is what keeps audiences listening. Storytelling creates emotional connection, makes ideas memorable, and helps listeners see themselves in your message. A concise story also buys you time to think, while still sounding confident and natural.

In business interviews, stories should highlight:

• A challenge

• A turning point

• A lesson

• A practical takeaway

Mini-summary: Stories hold attention, strengthen persuasion, and make your ideas stick long after the interview ends.

How should you use your voice to keep the audience engaged?

Vocal variety is persuasion in audio form. A steady monotone makes even brilliant content feel flat. Strong interviewers use voice like a tool — pacing, emphasis, and energy to guide attention.

Focus on:

• Variety: shift pace and tone intentionally

• Energy: sound alive, not rehearsed

• Warmth: let listeners hear your belief

• Pauses: give ideas space to land

Mini-summary: Your voice is your visual. Use variety and energy to keep listeners emotionally tuned in.

Every interview is an opportunity to influence. If you believe your idea, service, or recommendation truly helps people, you should never hide it. Persuasion isn’t “selling”; it’s guiding your audience toward value.

You should always know your intended listener action:

• What do you want them to think?

• What do you want them to feel?

• What do you want them to do next?

Mini-summary: Interviews are part of the persuasion business — and you need a clear action you want the audience to take.

Dale Carnegie training helps professionals communicate with confidence across any medium — stage, radio, podcast, video, or live executive settings. Our approach is practical and behavior-based, built on over a century of global experience and deep roots in Japan.

We serve both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) across 東京 (Tokyo) and beyond, helping leaders strengthen influence through:

• 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)

• エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching)

• DEI研修 (DEI training)

Dale Carnegie has supported global professionals for 100+ years, and has empowered leaders in Tokyo for 60+ years — helping people speak with clarity, connect through stories, and persuade with integrity.

Mini-summary: Dale Carnegie Tokyo combines global communication science with Japan-specific executive needs to help you excel in interviews and presentations.

• Interviews demand adaptability because you don’t control direction or editing.

• Audio media makes vocal clarity, energy, and variety essential.

• Storytelling is the fastest way to earn attention and trust.

• Great interviews always include a clear persuasive action for listeners.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.