CLUELESS ON RADIO

 A few weeks ago we were interviewed for the first time for a radio program (we’ve since had two more radio interviews).  We’ve been reflecting on how differently we approached the prospect of doing radio interviews compared to how we might have—“might”?—no, we’re “sure” of how we would have dealt with the prospect of being interviewed on the radio a few years ago.  Yes, back when we each were unsure of who we were, living in what seemed like relative harmony with our inner critics (though at the time we had not been introduced!). 

Gone are the doubts and uncertainties about what we know.  Gone are the worries about getting the answers perfect and coming over well.  And thankfully, gone are the hours of preparation, gathering more and more information, having sheaves of notes to which to refer—the safety blanket in case we forgot!  What a sense of freedom we now have!

 

That isn’t to say we don’t care about our answers or how we come across.  It’s that we can more gently and comfortably own what we know and be with what we don’t know without self-judgement.  This is not about arrogance or cockiness—it’s about being comfortable with oneself.

 

So we entered our first radio interview, both in the same place of cluelessness.  It’s a place with which we are familiar and it offers both a sense of groundedness together with excitement and anticipation.  We were able to allow ourselves to be clueless because of our sense of comfort in knowing who we are, what we are passionate about and because we were not trying to impress.  We were also willing to fail, for out of the failing comes learning.

 

It was clear right from the start that our first interviewer had her intention about the messages she wanted her audience to hear.  This is not manipulation – just passion for others to have the opportunity to learn and grow, selecting for themselves the nuggets that will be of value to them.  She was however also clueless about how the interview would go.

 

What a joyful experience to have everyone come from that place.  It allows everyone to stay in the moment, in the now.  Building, building, building, on what each person has said.  Wouldn’t it be just wonderful if all conversations went this way!  So much more fulfilling and constructive than the tearing-down of people’s ideas that we so often hear these days. 

 

How aware are you of your contribution to building positive conversations?

 

Lynn Hull and Julie Molner