I'm no public relations expert but when it comes to a communications train wreck, like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said in 1964, "I know it when I see it." Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (formerly known as Twitter), had one of the worst interviews I've ever seen from a business executive at Vox Media's Code 2023 conference last Wednesday. But instead of writing a ridiculous hit piece like much of the media salivates at these days, I thought there was value in breaking it down logically. There is something that we can all learn from experiences like these.
This is especially so given that some of the big focal points of Win Big Wednesday are communications, public speaking, and persuasion.
First, let me acknowledge that I give Yaccarino credit. She took on an unimaginably difficult job when she was hired by Elon Musk to help run the company. Aside from trying to channel and manage Musk's often erratic behavior, she is tasked with turning around an absolute monster of a company, one that is hemorrhaging cash and barely able to stay afloat. I always give credit to people who take on big challenges. They're the ultimate "man in the arena" and every generation needs them.
But what comes with this is that Yaccarino is putting herself out there moreso than ever before. All of a sudden, she has become more than just the major player in media that Fortune 500 executives know, she is know in the spotlight at the dinner table of families around the country. Her job at X is essentially to win the hearts and minds of advertisers (and users), in order to bring them back to the platform. This means her job is largely one of persuasion. And when it becomes a matter of persuasion, we have to look at her charisma and communications skills.
Yaccarino's interview was a case study in what not to do. Here's what, in my opinion, went wrong:
- Getting the easy stuff right: When Yaccarino flashed her phone's Home Screen during the event, the X app icon shockingly appeared to be absent. This is something that would've been so simple for her to change, and yet she didn't notice it. Like the saying goes, "If you don't believe in yourself (or your product), why would anyone else?" As CEO, Yaccarino has to be the biggest advocate of the platform and if she doesn't have it as one of her apps easiest to access, it signals that she doesn't believe in it as much as she should. Then why should we?
- Not doing the homework: When going on stage at a conference like Code, speakers know that they should expect tough, deep questions. They need to be as prepared as possible in order to come off as presentable thought leaders. But when the interviewer, CNBC's Julia Boorstin, asked about Elon Musk running X through his cell phone, his plan to charge users, and his previous idea to form a content moderation council, she didn't appear familiar with any of it. Yaccarino responded with things like "Maybe I should take a note of what you've just said" and "That is news to me." None of these topics were secret, as they've been reported on at length, which makes it bizarre that Yaccarino didn't have better answers. As someone who is battling on a daily basis to affirm that she is the one in control of X (and not Musk), her remarks were unconvincing at best. Without this credibility, she won't be able to persuade anyone.
- Frustration leading to condescending remarks: From the jump, Yaccarino was seemingly easily flustered at Code 2023 when Yoel Roth, Twitter's former Head of Trust and Safety, had an unexpected sit-down interview earlier in the day. That naturally put Yaccarino on the defensive, needing to counter program the messaging. This should not have rattled a seasoned executive, one hand-picked by the richest man in the world, like it did. You would expect a higher level of confidence and stoicism. Immediately as Yaccarino took the stage, and before the first question was asked, she made an awkward sarcastic comment about Roth's interview. She then added that many people in the audience were probably surprised that she still came out for the interview, talking in a triumphant, ego-driven way that made it all about her. Later on, when Boorstin asked her about the claims that she was a CEO in name only, Yaccarino pointedly shot a "yeah, not nice..." at her. If you're going to be this unlikeable, that is a poison to persuasion.
- Asking a question she didn't know the answer to: This is a well-known hard rule in public relations that has stood the test of time. And yet Yaccarino still couldn't get it right. Around the 22 minute mark, Yaccarino asked, "Who wouldn't want Elon Musk sitting by their side, running product?" And then she gestured towards the crowd with outstretched arms like that was a no-brainer. As expected, there was a significant portion of the crowd that raised their hands, to which Yaccarino accused them of having their person feelings get in the way. This, of course, completely deflated Yaccarino's argument. She tried to engage with the audience but instead it turned on her. She should've been aware that Musk as close to as many haters as he has lovers, if not more. Never ask a question you don't know the answer to, because things can get off the rails quickly.
- Questionable etiquette and body language: During the middle chunk of the interview, once it had already soured, Yaccarino started slouching in her chair. Her body was leaning away from the audience. It looked to me like it was someone who didn't want to be there and wanted to get away from the audience, rather than engage with them. Then, in the final third of the interview, Yaccarino continued to mention that she had to run based on her schedule. While it's understandable that she'd have an incredibly busy schedule, it was poorly planned for her to have to keep mentioning this. It seemed insincere. Sure enough, 38 minutes in, Yaccarino abruptly marched off the stage as awkwardly as she arrived, and noticeably withheld from shaking Boorstin's hand, another insincere moment.
Yaccarino's disastrous interview at Code 2023 came as a surprise to me. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for a woman to have climbed the ladder like she has without being incredibly adept. Through her impressive career on paper, including leading NBCUniversal, she was known to be such. The Financial Times recently profiled her as someone who was a warm, skilled relationship builder. Perhaps she just had a bad day.
If and when we find ourselves in a position of influence in our careers, regardless of whether it's in front of a sizable audience or not, we should keep all of these mistakes in mind. I give Yaccarino credit for getting out there to speak, but her Code performance could be a major moment in her tenure at X if it ceases to a halt in the not too distant future. There is something that we can all learn from this experience.
