What leaders can learn from the Woolies interview train wreck

A story about price gouging was never going to be pretty for Australia’s two supermarket giants but Woolworths CEO, Brad Banducci, showed us what not to do in a pressure situation when he walked out of an ABC Four Corners interview.

The extraordinary performance serves as a lesson for any leader communicating in a high-stakes environment. Here are five key lessons to ensure you won’t drop the ball under pressure – whether that’s in a difficult conversation, a tense meeting, a media interview, or a public presentation.

Be proactive with your message

Get very clear beforehand on the one piece of information you must convey in the interaction and make sure you say it up front. Many leaders approach heightened situations like they’re facing a firing squad, in reactive mode from the get-go rather than leading with their strongest message. It’s hard to tell whether the Woolworths boss took a clear stance at the start of the ABC interview, but he was quickly in a defensive position. 

Manage your personal state

However well you prepare for a challenging encounter, it comes down to how you deliver in the moment. No doubt there was focused preparation in the lead-up to Banducci fronting the ABC camera but something went wrong between briefing and performance, with the journalist’s questions triggering a surprising response.

For the time that you need to be “on” — which might be the duration of a meeting, conversation, crucial phone call or interview – you must find ways to put negative thoughts, self-doubt and distractions aside and concentrate solely on the outcome of the communication. Strategies can include slowing your breathing, repeating positive statements to yourself and deliberate pausing. Never go in angry or defensive and don’t lose control of your facial expressions so your emotions become obvious.

Know your audience

It takes more than a fancy title and a loud voice to be credible. You must equally demonstrate a sense of warmth and relatability. Whether you have an audience of one or thousands, find a way to connect with them even if they’re unlikely to agree with you. Being authentic and acknowledging the negative impact of a decision will earn you more trust than trying to dance around the edges of a tricky issue.

Be ready for tough questions

If you’re being interviewed for a major current affairs show like Four Corners, uncomfortable questions shouldn’t be a surprise. The same applies to any communication involving emotive or high-stakes issues; put yourself in the other person’s shoes and identify their most likely concerns. Answer as openly as you can without trying to sugar-coat. Clarify rather than defending – and avoid blaming the person asking the question.

Rehearse in realistic surroundings

Under pressure, your stress levels are likely to be heightened and anything unexpected increases the risk you’ll move away from your “A game”. Rehearse what you’re going to say out loud and, if possible, do it in the place where the communication will actually take place, for example, your board room, or somewhere similar.

The aim isn’t to make you sound glib and over-rehearsed; it helps minimise surprises so that in the moment you can focus fully on delivering your message with calm and credibility.

While some of our corporate leaders have dropped the ball in public communication of late, you – regardless of your role – can be a living example of effective communication that builds trust, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Dr Neryl East is a communication, credibility and reputation expert.