Building Bridges: In Communities and Communications

From the reopening of the?Big Mac Bridge?to the announcement of?our new Archbishop, there has been a lot of bridge building in my “village” of Cincinnati lately.?

“Bridge building” is also helpful when you’re on the public end of a reporter’s microphone.?

Communications pros will teach you about “bridging” when answering a reporter’s question—it’s a legit technique communicators use to answer the question they want to answer, not necessarily the question being asked.?

A cynical person might see this as spin or evasion. But when you’re involved in policy development or making a supportive argument, the bridge is a tool for keeping the conversation focused and on track.

Like all skills, you can’t learn bridging once and then expect to be exceptional at it–it’s a skill you need to sharpen to maintain. And if you can elevate your bridging capabilities, they are more natural and thus less of an interruption to the conversational flow.?

Context and perspective are essential in debate and persuasion. Phrases like: “In this context, it is important to note…” or “If we take a step back and look at a broader perspective…” help interviewees both acknowledge the question asked while also ensuring the conversation stays focused.?

As polite humans, we tend to nod when someone asks us a question to demonstrate that we are listening to them. However, when we do this, we could inadvertently appear to agree with the premise of the question. At best, this could confuse your interviewer or audience; at worst, you could undermine your argument or statement.?

If you’re doing media interview preparation and not practicing out loud with one to three people critiquing you, you’re working in your echo chamber. Another person will catch subtle nods of acknowledgment that can be misinterpreted as nods of agreement, and they can help you ensure you are not mistakenly repeating inaccurate or false information by repeating a reporter’s question. (Some folks call this avoiding the “call and response.” )

Here are some common bridging phrases that people can use to keep an interview or conversation on track:

• “The real question is”?
• “What I hope citizens keep in mind is…”

For you experienced communications leaders out there, what is your favorite bridging phrase or technique??

What are your tips for people learning to do media interviews to learn best practices like these? Comment below!??

As a closing note, Pope Francis recently appointed Robert G. Casey as the new Archbishop for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. His comments upon his appointment were heartening.

"One of the things that I've discovered in my work ... is that the call is to be bridge builders, and not wall builders, to be people that seek to reach out and dialog and listen." - The Most Reverend Archbishop Robert G. Casey