White House Press Briefing

During the press briefing, the representative seemed to know a majority of the journalists that she was addressing. She also did her best to address the needs of her audience to the best of her ability. The Press Secretary was adequately prepared for her presentation as she was able to answer a substantial number of questions asked by her colleagues. For the problems that she lacked answers, the Press Secretary gave a suitable professional response in order not to raise levels of inquisitiveness or worse, frustration. Some of the tips provided by Justin Meise from Buttonwood Communications are very helpful for journalists who wish to engage the public through interactive question and answer sessions. For example, posture is part of non-verbal communication that can illustrate the representative’s confidence levels and influence the way in which audiences receive messages. However, the second tip that proposes that professional journalists should never present themselves unprepared. This is an unfair suggestion, considering the need for responses to urgent questions during times of crises. These events give professional journalists little or no time to come up with detailed answers to questions that are standardized by audiences to mine for information on uncertain outcomes (Cott, 2017). In addition to the above, when called upon to an impromptu meeting or any briefing, it is highly significant that the journalist or the individual delivering a speech should tap into his or her long-term knowledge on how to handle the situation in the most professional way. This way, it is possible to eliminate doubt among the audience that the individual in question is not well prepared. Knowing one’s audience is always important. It gives the Press Secretary an advantage over anticipated responses that are required from specific individuals who specialize in specific crafts such as business and finance, economics, health, political science, law and even sports. A positive acknowledgment of the questions from journalists from specific local and international stations enables the Press Secretary to weigh risks and determine what details to retain and categorize as confidential. Friendly responses are the best form of reactions for audiences, eager to deliver results accuracy and without bias. Professionals possess relaxed and approachable demeanors which can influence the level of perceived trustworthiness. Besides the above, due to the deep understanding of the audience, the secretary brought in other speakers who could exemplify various aspects related to the president’s planned undertakings. This way, the majority of the audience’s concerns were addressed by not only the secretary but also the additional speakers. By taking questions at the end of the session, she shows an interest in the possible unaddressed aspects that might affect the audience’s perception of her speech.  This can be a significant boost during controversial stories that are occasionally leaked and provide leeway for scandals and even job losses on occasion. Unfortunately, some cultures associate friendliness with lack of professionalism and honesty. The credibility of sources is also sometimes questioned and influence dependability. Gestures can be considered as signs of anxiety or discomfort in relaying information while vocal variety and alternating tones can be viewed as a strategy to elude or create confusion by respondents (Dunwoody, 1980). His bearing in the presented videos can be considered off-putting by viewers and reduce the efficiency of his presentation. Nonverbal cues do not only enhance the understanding of the message by the audience, but they also assist in the capturing of their attention. The secretary, especially while answering the questions directed to her utilizes several non-verbal cues to not only exemplify her response but also to engage the audience and show them her understanding and confidence in her message. Except during guest introduction and reading out of the speech on separate occasions, she maintains eye contact with the audience, an aspect that speaks volumes about the depth of knowledge she has on the subject. In addition to the above, her body posture which is upright as she delivers the speech shows her belief in what she is talking about. Besides, her posture does not show any sign of fidgeting or panic, factors that affect how an individual delivers her or his message. Also, ability to pause and comprehend the questions asked by the audience is evident in her non-verbal communication. The above is an indication of her ability to comprehend the questions directed to her, an aspect that helps her not only to provide accurate answers but also the ability to devise ways to convince the audience of her in-depth ability to defend her subject. Responses should always be passed and sound conversational to accommodate the views and rebuttals that may follow a response. During an age of limited time for all questions that need to be answered, the perfect stance and appearance can lead to the success of a Press Briefing. Therefore, positively-worded responses should be the cornerstone of the respondent. Probing is designed to bring out the weaknesses of a professional and undermine the credibility of sources of information (Leffler, 2003). A spokesperson must patiently address to journalists who may talk-over or interrupt him or her. Losing one’s train of thought can immediately set off a well-balanced interaction and discourage an audience. Repetition is a poor method of conveying sensitive information. Before a press briefing, each person must prepare points that will allow for little pivoting and illustration of the situation that he is painting a picture of (Campion, 1997).Even though, repetition during a briefing might come in handy when there is a high need to put an emphasis on a particular point or aspect. Summarization exposes a high level of comprehension of even the most hardened subject matter and enables an individual presenting and facilitating a briefing to engage the public correctly with no misstatements. For example, Sara Sanders maintains short analytical responses for journalists and ensures a well-structured distribution of opportunities to ask and follow up on inquiries. This works to her benefit since topics such as the Russia and international affairs often arise during press briefings (Allison, 2008).

References

Allison, R. (2008). Russia resurgent? Moscow's campaign to ‘coerce Georgia to peace’. International affairs, 84(6), 1145-1171. Campion, M. A., Palmer, D. K., & Campion, J. E. (1997). A review of structure in the selection interview. Personnel Psychology, 50(3), 655-702. Cott, J. (Ed.). (2017). Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews. Simon and Schuster. Dunwoody, S. (1980). The science writing inner club: A communication link between science and the lay public. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 5(30), 14-22. Leffler, M. P. (2003). 9/11 and the past and future of American foreign policy. International Affairs, 79(5), 1045-1063.