A surprising number of media training participants have asked me why they can't just speak their minds like Donald Trump. They admire his courage to say what he thinks. But while I have some sympathy with the motivation, it does not follow that you should follow Trump's example. Here are six reasons why.
The discussion over Kanye West's pregnant pause, when Jimmy Kimmel asked him about Donald Trump, is missing some important nuances. Worse, any camera-shy Asian business leader who watches West getting cut off will wonder whether they can still take time to think before answering questions, or if they should take part in live TV interviews at all.
Spokespeople should throw away the crutches of pre-submitted questions, and everyone will benefit.
There were two controversies surrounding public figures being asked personal questions on camera this week, which provide hugely valuable lessons for senior business leaders. It is a natural consequence that audiences want to know more about the person behind the headlines. Handled right, this can add to your personal brand.
Singapore Trade & Industry Minister S Iswaran strikes a balance between responding credibly to difficult questions and selling the just-announced Budget 2018.
The short answer is, no. At the end of this column is an experiment that will help you see why.
The media is changing so much, so rapidly, that training you might have received only recently is quickly out of date.
If you are a senior business or political leader in Asia, there is a great chance you will be asked for your opinion on Donald Trump, Brexit, and other global topics - whether you like it or not.
First it was "post fact", then "fake news", now we are confronted with "alternative facts". Do they really exist?
The pundits arguing that Facebook should take responsibility are missing the point.
By winning the US presidency, Donald Trump has clearly recorded a measure of success through the way he communicated with voters. Senior business leaders ignore this at their peril (just ask Hillary Clinton). We draw lessons from Trump's surprising election victory.
Ivanka Trump's combative interview with Cosmopolitan is a lesson for spokespeople who don't like the media's questions.
The New York Times exposed Donald Trump for scripting answers to questions supplied by Wayne T Jackson ahead of their scheduled recorded television interview. This embarrassed both the Republican presidential candidate, and Mr Jackson. So Mr Jackson did the only logical thing: he changed the questions.
