Connecting With You

As described on the StoryCorps Project website (see yesterday's post), to help people tell their stories, one must be an excellent listener.

This requires being an excellent interviewer: knowing what questions to ask, when to ask them, and when to be silent and listen.

The best interviewers spend 80% of their time listening to the person being interviewed.

While a good interviewer makes it look easy, interviewing is an art that requires experience and top-notch interpersonal skills.

While there are basic guidelines taught in journalism school and in social sciences coursework (such as, for those who are training to be counselors), there is much about interviewing that cannot be taught or even developed through experience. Excellence in interviewing requires genuine interest in, caring for, and respect of the person being interviewed.

One way to develop good interviewing skills is to watch and listen to the experts. I asked my mother who she thinks is a great interviewer. She said she likes to listen to Charlie Rose interview people. I agree; he is good.

Who do you think is a great interviewer?