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    Interview Guide

    By Lisa Kimball

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    The Goals of an Effective Interview

    When conducted effectively, an interview can be a powerful tool for communication within a professional setting. The primary objectives are to:

    • Convey a small number of ideas related to a key project dimension in a compelling, memorable, and engaging way.
    • Intrigue the audience enough to make them want to review more in-depth materials that you provide.
    • Introduce a key player (the source) and their relationship to the topic, allowing their individual personality, passion, and style to emerge.
    • Establish an interactive, conversational, and inviting tone for the meeting so that all participants are more likely to speak up and stay engaged.
    • Avoid draining the energy in the room, which often happens when one person speaks for more than five minutes or presents dense, text-heavy slides.

    The Role of the Interviewer

    The interviewer is crucial to the success of the exchange. Their primary responsibilities are to facilitate a dynamic and insightful conversation.

    • Be a Catalyst: The interviewer's main job is to draw the most interesting, exciting, and thought-provoking material from the source (the person being interviewed).
    • Maintain Momentum: Keep the interview moving at a good pace. You don’t want to ask one question and have the source speak for ten minutes without interruption.
    • Act as a Partner: Function as a conversation partner with the source to create a comfortable, easy-going feel to the interview's flow.
    • Represent the Audience: Help connect the source and their material with the audience by "standing in" for them in terms of focus, attention, and energy.

    It can sometimes create a better dynamic if the interviewer is different from the source (e.g., male/female, from different countries). There can also be an advantage to having an interviewer who is not already an expert on the source's topic, as their "naïve" perspective can help clarify information for the broader audience.

    The Role of the Source

    The source, or the person being interviewed, is the subject matter expert. Their role is to introduce participants to their unique perspective on the topic at hand.

    Frequently asked questions

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