Terry Gross Interview Habits for Engaging Conversations
Periodic Table of Habits
Filters & Legend
Impact:
Effort:
Category:
Impact
High
Medium
Low
Effort
High
Medium
Low
Categories
Low Effort
Medium Effort
High Effort
High Impact
4
RI
Remote Interview Setup
6
GC
Guest Comfort Assurance
3
KW
Key Word Follow-Ups
14
LE
Listener-Centric Editing
1
PR
Pre-Interview Research Marathon
7
AS
Annotation Speed Reading
9
TD
Team Diversity Cultivation
11
CL
Cultural Literacy Maintenance
Medium Impact
12
ES
Empathetic Silence Use
2
VT
Vocal Tone Practice
5
NN
Night-Before Note Review
8
AE
Answer Editing Requests
10
PR
Post-Interview Reflection
13
HC
Historical Context Integration
Low Impact
No low effort habits
No medium effort habits
No high effort habits
Pre-Interview Research Marathon
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Spend hours reading books, watching films, or listening to works of guests to prepare insightful questions. Focus on understanding their background and contributions.
Vocal Tone Practice
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Engage in singing lessons and vocal exercises to maintain a relaxed, natural speaking voice conducive to radio interviews.
Key Word Follow-Ups
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Use a guest's specific phrases or terms to ask clarifying questions, deepening the conversation's nuance and authenticity.
Remote Interview Setup
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Conduct interviews via phone or satellite feed rather than in person to maintain focus and reduce social pressure.
Night-Before Note Review
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Revisit research materials and typed notes shortly before sleeping to reinforce memory retention.
Guest Comfort Assurance
Impact:
Effort:
#Connections
Explicitly offer guests permission to skip overly personal questions before recording begins.
Annotation Speed Reading
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Skim materials while circling key passages and dog-earing pages for later detailed note-taking.
Answer Editing Requests
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Politely ask guests to condense lengthy responses during interviews to fit broadcast formats.
Team Diversity Cultivation
Impact:
Effort:
#Resources
Actively recruit staff from varied backgrounds to broaden editorial perspectives and content range.
Post-Interview Reflection
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Analyze completed interviews to identify missed opportunities or areas for improved questioning.
Cultural Literacy Maintenance
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Continuously consume films, literature, and music to stay current with artistic trends and references.
Empathetic Silence Use
Impact:
Effort:
#Connections
Allow brief pauses after emotional responses to give guests space before continuing.
Historical Context Integration
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Incorporate historical parallels when discussing current events with guests.
Listener-Centric Editing
Impact:
Effort:
#Connections
Prioritize audience comprehension when cutting interviews, removing insider jargon or unclear passages.
