Morning Brew - 🤔 The Q&A formula

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

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What’s top of mind at the watercooler.

In our last edition, Sidekick taught you everything you need to know about the technical side of podcasting. Now let’s explore storytelling, in particular the art of interviewing. Because behind every fascinating story is a talented interviewer, and those skills transfer from journalism to the corporate world and beyond. If you can get people talking about themselves, there’s no end to what you can learn from them.

To learn more about the art of conducting a great interview, Sidekick spoke with legendary journalist, author, and contributor to the New Yorker, Ken Auletta; Spotify podcast host and storyteller, Lea Palmieri; and former CNN executive editor of international features and current editor of Spotify-owned channels, Neil Curry.

Before you begin an interview, nail down why you’re talking to the person and what the purpose of the interview is. Meaning: What do you want to get out of the conversation?

Once you’ve figured that out, do your research, author of Hollywood Ending Ken Auletta told Sidekick. "Research the subject’s online profiles, read up on any previous interviews they’ve given, and figure out what questions they’ve already answered. Talk to their colleagues and critics to get a wider understanding of who you’ll be interviewing."

Neil Curry and Leah Palmieri shared similar advice with Sidekick. Curry relies on research to help him come up with new angles on old stories that might unearth new information. Palmieri studies the subject’s Instagram and Twitter posts to get an idea of what’s on the interviewee’s mind, which helps her figure out how to kick off the conversation.

Curry and Auletta both agreed that the key to a good interview is to make it feel conversational and approachable. In Auletta’s experience, the best interviews start with simple questions before diving into more complicated subjects.

“Begin with the softer questions—questions that make people feel like you’re not playing ‘gotcha’ with them,” Auletta told Sidekick. Let people know that you’re there to understand them—not prosecute them—and ask intelligent questions so the subject feels confident, he suggested.

Here are some more tips from our experts:

• Listen carefully. You may have scripted questions, but be sure to let the conversation flow. “[When] you’re really listening to that person, at that point, you’re having a dialogue. And you’re taking them into areas maybe they hadn’t been. So you may get some surprising answers,” Auletta said. But also read the room, Palmieri advised. Evaluate whether the person is comfortable with sharing more, and then ask questions accordingly.
• Don’t rush to fill the silence. Wait when there’s a moment of silence during your interview, Auletta advised. Often interviewees will speak more to fill the void themselves. “They’ll sense that you’re not happy with their answer…and they’re going to want to satisfy you with an answer,” he said.
• Know your questions well. Connecting with your subject and maintaining an easygoing back-and-forth is important, but having a clear understanding of what answers you want to elicit helps keep the conversation on track, Palmieri said. If a subject steers off-topic because they connected with you, indulge for a moment and then bring it back.
• Be agreeable. “When people are comfortable with someone in a conversation, they tend to be more open,” Auletta said. Palmieri and Curry agreed: Set the scene and make small talk or ask someone about their interests, but make yourself approachable. Let your body language and your demeanor reflect that you’re open-minded and willing to listen to their story without judgment.
• Interview with confidence. “No matter who you’re interviewing, don’t be overawed,” said Curry. “You have a right to be in that room. They’re sitting down with you and they’re listening to your questions…and don’t be afraid of a cliché question [like] ‘How did you feel?’ That is the essential question of most interviews.”

When you’re getting to know someone, you won’t learn everything about them in one conversation. This applies to both life and interviewing. But if you follow this advice, whoever you’re interviewing will tell you stories that will give you a peek into who they are.

For Auletta, one of those telling moments came when he interviewed entrepreneur and CNN founder Ted Turner for the New Yorker. Turner had spoken in the past about his father’s suicide, but in his interview with Auletta, he revealed the contents of the suicide note and shared how that moment shaped his life and career. Through carefully crafted questions and purposeful silence, Auletta made a very private and successful man feel comfortable enough to share incredibly intimate details.

Palmieri’s memorable interview moment looked a bit different. She spoke to 14-year-old singer Sara James shortly after she had gained notoriety from her appearance on America’s Got Talent. New to fame and still establishing her career, James shared details with Palmieri about her new life on the Mic Check podcast, and Palmieri got to witness the young singer record a single in real time.

In both cases, careful interviewing led to compelling stories gathered from many pieces of information. Readers and listeners were on the edge of their seats, and interviewees opened up in perhaps completely new ways. That’s a good interview.—SS

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Read: Meet the Vodou practitioners trying to rewrite the narrative about their religion. Founded in the 1600s to spiritually unite enslaved Africans, the religion lives on today through dance and rhythm to honor nature and ancestors. And while the faith has been widely misrepresented as a tool for revenge (please, throw away that “voodoo doll”), Vodou continues to thrive as a symbol of liberation and expression of identity.

Listen: Wine lovers, tap in! If you love listening to fellow oenophiles discuss their favorite vintages, check out the Wine & Chisme podcast. The show highlights Latinos in the wine industry and raises awareness about how this historically underrepresented group contributed to the industry.

Eat: Thanksgiving is the one time of the year you can truly let your cooking skills shine. So aim high with these creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, and watch family bickering give way to happy postprandial sleepiness (for a little while, anyway).

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Pearls of career wisdom.

“Criticism [isn’t] an insult. It’s a natural reaction to something that scares people. It’s nothing personal, which is what you should always be thinking. When we started Phreshly…we knew there was an opportunity to define premium canned cocktails to the [beverage industry] clearly. While the criticism was significant, we did not waver. It is essential to understand why they doubt you instead of focusing on personal attacks. That sort of thinking will inspire you to change the thinking of others.”—Paul Owusu, founder of Phreshly Brands