Prep Sessions

I do not know any one who likes to be pot on the spot. Difficult or pointed questions are tough to content with, particularly if one has not formulated responses to them. Perhaps the only thing more off-putting is the person who is asking the questions. The really tough questions are the ones that do not provide the person to whom they are directed any wiggle room. They are direct and require a meaningful response as opposed to a shrug of the shoulders or a simple "yes" or "no." The tough questioners does not let the subject off the hook by allowing them to give short answers with little or no substance. 


Being this kind of questioner is one of the important roles of a public relations practitioner. While their job is to represent their client, there are times when the client him or herself needs to be the one in front of a camera or reporter with a notepad. When those situations do arise, their top communicator must do all they can to prepare their boss for challenging interactions with the press or public. If the boss is not used to being called up to explain or justify decisions they have made or even articulate his or her vision for their company or organization, these prep sessions can be difficult to the extent of being downright testy.


Obviously, no one likes to have unpleasant encounters with their boss. Yet this is part of the job for public relations professionals. Furthermore, it is not something they should avoid. Yes, they represent the boss and his/her organization. At the same time, they also represent the public, including members of the press, with which the big boss and the organization are trying to connect. During such times as challenging prep sessions, the public relations practitioner is represent both sides of the relationship. He or she should know what questions are on the minds of the public and then do all they can to make sure they are adequately addressed, even if it means standing up to the boss from time to time.