Some time ago, I had an intern standing at my desk. He’d written an interview article, but his questions hadn’t probed deeply enough. The interviewee mentioned that she struggled with certain things in her life, but the article didn’t say why. I didn’t ask, the intern said. Why not? Well, it might have been awkward. Maybe she didn’t want to talk about it. He thought that asking the question might have created an uncomfortable situation, which he preferred to avoid. It was only in that moment, standing at my desk, that he realised he had broken an important rule: never assume what someone else is thinking or feeling. As a result, he had missed the opportunity to have a meaningful conversation (which is what an interview can be; it’s much more than just reading off a list of questions).
Sneakers
My colleague WD recently introduced me to the book Socrates on Sneakers by Elke Wiss, “a philosophical guide to asking good questions”. Wiss says, “We assume the other person will be embarrassed or find the topic uncomfortable or perhaps confronting to talk about. It makes us aware of our own vulnerability.”
Hard-hitting
If you always want everyone to like you, or if you want to go through life without asking hard-hitting questions, journalism may not be the career for you. As a journalist, you often need to broach sensitive subjects, ask probing questions, play devil’s advocate or confront an interviewee with uncomfortable truths or things they’ve said. That’s all part of the job. Speaking from experience, I can confirm that this sometimes darkens the mood of the conversation. But as long as your questions come from a place of genuine interest in relevant facts and opinions, you must accept these occasional moments of awkwardness.
Empathy
Empathy, a concept extensively discussed by Wiss, is a tricky concept for a journalist. While being able to empathise with people is a good thing, it’s best for journalists to maintain more emotional distance. This helps you ask the right – sometimes uncomfortable – questions, remain observant and truly listen to what someone is saying.