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Where Does Big Ben Rank?
After Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s recent press conference regarding the sexual assault civil suit filed against him, WPXI TV asked body language expert Sally Chopping to review the interview tape. She believes Roethlisberger is telling the truth.
For the rest of us "non body language experts" it often comes down to instincts, bias and likability. Steelers fans are rallying around Big Ben while fans of other NFL teams will be primed to heckle Roethlisberger at away games this season.
From a Public Relations standpoint, when people are interviewed, their 'performance' generally falls into one of the following categories:
Too Scripted—The interviewee almost appears to be acting or "reading their lines." These folks lose credibility by the minute on camera.
Almost Scripted—Many interviewees over prepare and seem to move from scripted to genuine and back again. Viewers perceive some of the message as truthful and ignore the rest.
Trying Too Hard—Despite having some charisma, it seems these interviewees are trying to sell us something. We’re conditioned to be skeptical and cynical of them.
Natural—These folks appear comfortable in their own skin. They're believable, likable and often among the elite in their area of expertise.
Simply Awful—The interviewee comes across as inept, over the top or clueless. You wonder "What the heck was he or she thinking?" after watching the interview.
So where does Big Ben’s recent press conference rank? He's in an uncomfortable situation, so I don't expect him to look completely at ease. And although he's talented enough in front of the camera, he understands the value in preparing with his PR team on how to respond. I just wish he would be a little more natural and a little less scripted.
Overall, though, I tend to agree with Chopping, the body language expert. At the core he seems to be sincere and feeling the weight of it all. We'll see how it plays out over the next few weeks and months.
As for the rest of us, you can’t go wrong if you focus on being you and telling your story rather than saying what you think others want to hear.
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David M. Mastovich, MBA, is the president of Massolutions, a Pittsburgh based Strategic Marketing firm that focuses on improving the bottom line for client companies through creative marketing, selling, messaging and customer experience enhancement.
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