Friday, March 9, 2007

Interview with Ellen Castro, Leadership Consultant

Ellen Castro is an international speaker, coach and consultant, specializing in communication and leadership. Her tagline is so true; she says, "It’s all about TRUST!" She should know. She's the author of Spirited Leadership: 52 Ways to Build Trust on the Job.

Ellen is also a dear friend of mine--we met on an airplane on Superbowl Sunday 1995! I asked her to share some of her Soundbite Savvy.

LA: Ellen, you have been interviewed by television stations and several magazines about your work and your books. How would you say the media has treated you?

EC: I’ve had the good fortune of being interviewed for local and national media, and it has all been good. I believe it has all been good because I was so thankful for having the interview. Thus I was enthused and excited which got the interviewer hooked and asking more and more questions.

LA: Did you learn any lessons along the way about how to answer questions?

EC: What I learned was that being passionate is a huge plus, and knowing that I am the subject matter expert gave me the confidence to handle any and all questions no matter how off the wall they were.

LA: Journalists wouldn't be interviewing you if they didn't feel you had something important to say. But is there something you wish you had done differently?

EC: Probably the one thing I need to remember and at times wished I would have done differently is to be totally present and centered in God before and during the interview... to seek His guidance versus my ego.

LA: Hey, maybe we should put this interview in my other blog! But back to soundbites, what advice would you give to authors who are looking to get positive publicity?

EC: The advice I would give authors is to have a reputation built on trust so people refer you to people and poof... you have publicity. You never know where a lead will come from... so always be kind. And in being kind to the interviewers... they will be kind to you and project you positively.

LA: That goes along with what I was writing in the blog a few days ago, about reporters being human. Ellen, thanks for your time. I have seen you speak, and you connect so well with your audience. You really give the participants advice from your life and your heart. I'm so glad you were on that Southwest flight 12 years ago!

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