Number 46 of 52 Compelling Communicators: Jian Ghomeshi
November 18, 2013
As many of my compelling communicators have
noted, one of the greatest attributes of a good communicator is the ability to
listen and ask relevant questions.
CBC’s Jian Ghomeshi, with the largest current
affairs audience in Canada, ranks the highest on that scale for me. Listening to
his show I am totally captivated by the interview. I never yell out the
question I want him to ask, he always delivers on that front. Frequently, I find
myself barking at radio and TV interviewers to ask follow up questions. So many
seem to be going through a question list versus listening to what the guest has
said. Not Jian. He is ever present.
I have bought more books because of his
interviews. He actually gets enough meat out of the interview to intrigue you to
want the book.
With a simple “Hi there” to start his show he
makes you feel like he is talking directly to you. That is an art.
Aside from listening to his program Q (who
could not like that name?) I follow him on Twitter. His pithy 140 character
clips are often amusing and invariably smart. Rather than be impressed with his
200,000+ followers, I am more interested in the 100 he follows. Knowing who
someone pays attention to can often relay more about a person than their
following. Anybody can follow you on Twitter. Jian’s follow list is eclectic
including Stats Canada, Chris Hadfield, The Onion and People Magazine. Of
course, he follows an assortment of media, authors, musicians and a few politico
types.
His answer to a question in Huffington Post
Canada interview reveals one of the reasons I believe he is so compelling… passion
over profit.
Speaking of your reader, you’ve built a really loyal social
media following here in Canada. And now Q is on PRI, and it’s doing quite well.
Are you going to let the Americans take you from us?
[Laughs.]
It has come up. Every time I answer this question, my answer ends up sounding
corny. But I really believe in Canada. I really want to be part of building the
story here. That doesn’t mean I won’t do things in other places, but if I can
have a gratifying career – and to feel like I’m making a difference – I’d
rather stay here. The priorities for me are not fame or money – I like having
things – but that’s not the priority. If I were doing something in the U.S.
that didn’t feel as gratifying, I would be miserable; it wouldn’t matter how
much money I was getting paid or how much recognition I was receiving.
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"...before I let you go..."
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