In any interview, go in there with three positive
points to make. I can't explain why three is a good number
- it's probably something to do with the viewer's attention
span or something. But it works.
Just as important as the three points, you must
think of a way to bring those three points alive. It's no good
saying my company cares for the environment; you've got to
give an example of something your company has done. A real
story. And you can tell it in as much glowing detail as you
like, as long as it's something the viewer can see in his head.
Three points, and illustrations. That's all!
Preparation is the key to
being a successful interviewee. In the case of the vanishing
aircraft some of the points you'll have to face are:
 |
No black box fitted. |
|
Recommending grounding of the aircraft. |
|
Shares losing value. |
|
Passengers faced with a journey on a similar
aircraft. |
Not an exhaustive list, by any means,
but a guide to set you thinking. And I mean thinking BEFORE the
interview has started.
Now think of three major points
you want to make, regardless of what questions are asked. Write
them down. If you've spent twenty years manufacturing aircraft
your knowledge of the design, construction, operation, etc.
of the things is huge. All that weight of knowledge needs to
be sifted and three simple points prepared for the viewer.
Your points might include:
|
The company makes entirely safe aircraft. |
|
You're doing all you can to prevent a recurrence. |
|
Your company is a caring company - people's
lives are of enormous importance. |
Flesh it out
Now it's no earthly
good just sitting there and saying, "My company makes very safe aeroplanes".
The viewer just won't believe you. You've got to paint a picture
of how safe they are.
Point One
All the aircraft vanished in or around
South America. Servicing standards may not be of the highest.
But it's no good saying that unsupported. It just sounds as if
you're blaming someone else. You need facts. You can consult
your order books and see how many spare parts have been supplied
to the operators. Let's hope it's very few or even none. For
the sake of this example, I'll say zero.
This helps you a lot. All aircraft
(not just this type) need proper servicing. This is the most
important point, but you'll not get a question about servicing,
you'll have to link to it from somewhere else. Could be from
the 'grounding' question. And it's a very technical point - you'll
need to think of an easy way for the interviewer and the viewer
to relate to aircraft servicing. But when you've done that, you've
got point one ready to go.
And it's your strongest point. The
one that can save you and the company. So be ready to make it
at the end of the interview even if you've already done it at
the start.
Point Two
Okay - what are you doing to remedy
the situation? It's obviously a big problem for your company
(apart from the humanitarian aspect), so you'll be ready with
quite a lot of cash and resources. You've obviously been in touch
with the airlines concerned. You can't look at the missing aeroplanes,
so your next step would be to inspect the other aircraft of the
same type operated by them.
I'm presuming you were refused access.
Otherwise you'd be working on the planes. Right - you have to
put pressure on the companies through your Embassy. And be ready
with a team of investigators and engineers if and when permission
comes through.
Point Three
Have you visited some of the grieving
parents or orphaned children whose plight resulted from the crashes?
You must if you want to project a caring image. So for the sake
of this example I presume you have!
And do some research. Find as many
examples as possible of your aircraft being used to save lives.
A fourth point
The black box question is a bit of
a red herring, but it's one you'll have to deal with. The aircraft
are missing, and had there been any boxes with them, they'd be
missing too. But the lack of the things makes you look lax. Do
you fit them as standard, or only when required? Either way you
win. You need an analogy to help tell the story; maybe a customer
deciding he prefers his new car without air bags fitted.
There's also the point that new aircraft
sales go to the big operators like SIA, Lufthansa, BA, etc. After
three or four years SIA buys new and sells off the old planes
to less reputable airlines. SIA etc. always specify fitting of
the boxes, but they don't last forever. Not one of your strong
points but you've got to face the question.
Next is an imaginary transcript of how the interview might go with
proper preparation.
