What communicators don't know about their experts

You may have worked with scores of scientists and experts, or be new to the game. But time and again, I see communicators operating without some core understandings about how experts think, work and approach communicating with non-technical audiences. Despite frequent contact, you may still be missing a real understanding of:

• How afraid they are of failure, particularly with the tasks you commonly ask them to do, like speaking to non-technical audiences or the media.
• How to keep them from blowing off media interviews and support them so they'll show up for the opportunities you're arranging.
• How they actually behave with reporters, and the extra work reporters do to get a story out of your balky, detail-oriented or dodgy expert.
• How to say no to their impossible requests, which are usually prompted by what they don't know about your business.
• How to find out what they really think about the media, and how to make the case for why they should do interviews, anyway.

If you're running into otherwise unexplained brick walls and problems, you may need the extra insights I'm offering in the one-day workshop Be an Expert on Working with Experts. The workshop, set for February 1, 2012, in Washington, DC, will help you understand experts' default communications styles and why what you're usually asking them to do runs counter to their instincts. You'll learn tactics for working with them more effectively, with materials and tips you can use again and again.

 The latest version of my Be an Expert on Working with Experts workshop takes place June 19, 2012 in Washington, DC. Updated and revised, it will help you understand your experts' default communications styles and why what you ask them to do runs counter to their instincts. You'll learn tactics for dealing with them more effectively and get tips and materials you can use again and again.

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