There are some things an interviewer will never tolerate: unwanted studio visitors (I’m still haunted by the memory of the noisy school-kids who gate-crashed one of my radio news bulletins); guests who arrive late at the studio (in fairness, that can’t always be helped); or the ones who use a script to answer questions. Take it from me, scripted answers are never a good idea. Not only do speakers sound inauthentic, but the conversation becomes an ordeal – for them, for the interviewer, and for the audience who can’t wait for it to end.
The point of an interview is to bring out a message that connects with an audience. Scripted answers defeat the purpose. They make speakers sound unreal, and audiences pick up on that. People want to hear your point of view – but they can’t if you retreat into a pile of notes every time you’re asked a question. They’re left with two conclusions: either you don’t believe in your message (in which case why are you doing the interview?), or you’re trying to hide something.
So, how do you wean yourself off the script and make your interviews sound purposeful, spontaneous and even enjoyable?
Why Do We Cling to our Scripts?
“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” Seneca
Scripted notes are a comfort prop. They make us feel that nothing can go wrong as long as we’re holding them. But there comes a time when we have to let go, and that’s when things get complicated.
People of a certain age (myself included) will remember Linus from the Charlie Brown cartoons. He carried a blanket with him everywhere and would become distressed if it was taken away. Linus was only calm when his blanket was returned. It wasn’t the blanket he was addicted to, but the feeling of security it gave him. Speakers are the same. They’re not addicted to the script, but to the illusion of control it provides. The trick is to maintain your confidence even after the prop is removed.
Know Your Messages, Not Thirty Lines
Giving an interview isn’t easy and feeling comfortable with the process takes time. The brain goes into overdrive imagining everything that could go wrong: a dry mouth, words coming out the wrong way, or the mind going blank. None of these scenarios will happen if you know your message and the key points you want to make. Work out what they are by asking yourself:
- Why is it important?
- Why should anyone care
- What do I want people to remember?
Nobody expects you to memorise thirty lines verbatim – that’s dull, robotic and pointless. Interviews are about showing your personality and demonstrating that you can handle challenging questions. Remember, actors learn scripts. You don’t have to.
Answer the Question First – Then Bridge
Interviews are tough if you don’t do your homework. That means knowing your story, anticipating the questions, and preparing the points you want to land.
A straight answer to a direct question signals confidence and transparency. It shows you’re an open book – except you’re the one turning the pages.
Interviews can also feel tactical – but with the right tools you can stay in control. Keep the first sentence of your answer short. It reassures the interviewer you’re engaging with the question – giving you room to expand and pivot. Classic bridging phrases include:
- “What matters here is…”,
- “What we are in fact seeing…”
- “Underlying this is a much bigger point…”
These are not evasions. They’re natural conversational tools that most of us use without realising it.
When you’ve done the groundwork and approach the interview from a position of strength rather than fear, everything changes. Your confidence rises, the conversation flows, and the audience stays with you. An interviewer may try to throw you off balance with a curveball question or by chipping away at the same point, but there’s no reason to be blown off course. Knowledge of your subject is your greatest power. It gives you the freedom to lead the interview in the direction where you want it to go.
When Preparation Fails: A Cautionary Tale
Preparation will always be key – and things will almost certainly go wrong if you’re badly prepared.
In a 2017 radio interview with Nick Ferrari, veteran British politician Diane Abbott talked herself into a verbal cul-de-sac when she struggled to explain how her party would fund 10,000 new police recruits. She misquoted figures, suggested that 250,000 officers would be hired, and then accused Ferrari of introducing that number – only for him to point out that she had said it. The rustling of paper as she tried to recover made the moment even more excruciating. Check out the clip:
https://news.sky.com/video/diane-abbott-gets-her-figures-wrong-in-car-crash-interview-10860258
Practical Techniques to Sound Human
- Use conversational language, not corporate syntax.
- Practise out loud – not by reading, but by explaining.
- Treat the interviewer as a partner, not an adversary.
- Prepare stories, not scripts.
- Keep your first sentence short.
- Bridge naturally, not mechanically.
These are the habits that make you sound confident, credible and human.
Key Takeaways: Your Interview Preparation Checklist
A quick, confidence‑building guide to keep you natural, clear and in control.
1. Know your message
Identify the one thing you want the audience to remember. Everything else is supporting detail.
2. Prepare three key points
Not paragraphs. Not scripts. Just three clear, memorable points you can return to.
3. Practise out loud
Explain your message as if you were talking to a friend. If it sounds stiff, simplify it.
4. Anticipate the obvious questions
If you can think of them, the interviewer definitely can. Prepare your opening line for each.
5. Keep your first sentence short
It signals confidence and buys you time to expand.
6. Use natural bridging phrases
“What matters here is…”,
“The bigger point is…”,
“What we’re actually seeing is…”
These help you steer the conversation without sounding evasive.
7. Prepare one story or example
Audiences remember stories, not statistics. Have one ready that illustrates your message.
8. Avoid corporate language
If you wouldn’t say it in real life, don’t say it in an interview.
9. Decide what not to say
Boundaries matter. Know the areas you won’t be drawn into — and how to pivot away.
10. Breathe, pause, and slow down
Silence isn’t your enemy. It’s a sign of control.
The Payoff: Control Without Rigidity
When you let go of the script and start trusting your preparation, you gain something far more valuable: control. Not the rigidity of memorised lines, but the flexible, confident control of someone who knows their subject and can talk about it with ease.
That is when interviews stop being ordeals and start becoming opportunities – not just to deliver a message, but to shape the narrative on your own terms.
