The "I Don't Know" Dilemma: Media Training & Presentation Skills Training Insights

In this episode, Comsteria's media trainer Colin Kelly addresses one of the most common concerns raised during our sessions as a media training and presentation skills training provider: what to do when you are asked a question during a media interview and you genuinely don't know the answer. We explain why "busking it" or faking a response is never the right approach, as audiences can tell and it severely undermines your credibility. Instead, we provide actionable presentation skills and media training strategies to help you handle these high-pressure moments effectively. Listeners will learn the critical importance of interview preparation to identify exactly what facts and figures you are reasonably expected to know based on your specific job title and status. Using a real-world example of a government housing minister, we explore how to navigate journalists' questions that are overly simplistic or demand data in a format you don't have readily available. You will discover proven spokesperson techniques, including: Setting the terms: How to define the parameters of a complex question so you can confidently deliver the precise data you do have. Signposting: How to appropriately redirect journalists or audiences to a website or later follow-up when complex background data cannot be condensed into a 15-second soundbite. Going behind the question: How to recognize that a journalist asking for a specific number is often just testing whether you are truly on top of the situation and actually care about the issue. Tune in to elevate your professional communication skills, master your next media appearance, and learn how to navigate the unknown with absolute confidence!

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