We at Trischel have had a number of years in the communication training business, and during that time I believe that we have committed just about every communication mistake ever imagined – which is why we are probably the experts, if it can go wrong we have done it wrongly and then learned the lesson!
But over the years we have made less and less mistakes and have gradually found that our communication skills now come naturally and easily to us.
Which is why, during the radio interview conducted by Jon Mustchin at 997fm yesterday, we had a ball. Trish and I have worked together for so long that we can anticipate each other and listening to the play back of the interview I was struck with the smooth transition from one to the other. Jon, the announcer, is a consummate professional and made the whole thing just fun – but the skills we have painfully built up over the years came through.
We received a number of calls from clients and friends who complimented us our presentation, so it’s not just wishful thinking on our part. It seemed to be successful from our point of view, and obviously the listeners thought so to. So that’s a tick for successful communication.
But, as the saying goes, what you win on the swings you lose on the roundabouts, and we also committed one of the greatest sins in understanding instructions – and that was we failed to confirm and clarify!
The original arrangements had been made while Trish was swanning around Greece, and I had entered the details, including time and location in the Diary on the appropriate day. So everything was cool!
Except I had entered it into my personal diary, not the Trischel diary – and when I mentioned the interview to Trish I told her that “it was in the diary” – well it was!
Consequently when on the day prior to the interview we were making arrangements we were perplexed to find a blank page. No contact name, no location in fact no nothing! I had had a quick chat to Jon the day before as there was a slight change to the timings, but confident in the fact that the exact details were recorded in the diary I didn’t make any effort to confirm and clarify! Mea culpa!
Faced with a blank page, we did what any normal person would do – we panicked; and then turned to the internet. It was with a feeling of relief that we found the details of the radio station on both the White Pages, and their own company web page. We duly made note of the location and set out for our greatest interview ever.
We arrived at the address and yes, there was a notice identifying it as the correct place, and we excitedly walked up the wooden steps. The door was locked. ‘Well’ we thought, prepared to be charitable, ’perhaps the poor man is all alone and has locked the door for safety’
We had been listening to the radio station on the way and Jon had been conducting an interview – all seemed hustle and bustle. This building had a mournful air of debilitation and quiet resignation. We were worried.
I flagged down a passing cyclist to query if this was indeed the home of the bright and bubbly 997fm – ‘Oh yes I think so’ he said ‘at least that’s what the sign says.’ Well we knew that, but somehow ….
By now, we were way past the time we should be safely ensconced within the studio – we were in actual fact slightly panic stricken and apparently lost.
A quick phone call to our admin staff confirmed that the internet had listed the address we were marooned at, but hopefully the phone number might be still current. It was – and a short time later we arrived at the bright and shiny impressive new premises of Radio 997fm – telling our poor pathetic story to some highly amused staff!
The rest, as they say, was history.
So the lesson from this sorry saga is twofold, or maybe three!
First – I should have transferred the details from my personal diary to the business one – a fatal mistake which was the start of all our ongoing problems.
Second – I have now made absolutely sure that all our company’s details on the internet are up-to-date and correct.
And Thirdly – personal communication skills are essential for a believable explanation of why you are half-an-hour late for an interview, and they are also of great value in making the most of every opportunity to present what you do in a most positive light … eventually.
Michele @ Trischel
Er .. if you were listening to the interview – I am the English one, in case it wasn’t obvious!!