Sound Judgment Releases New Episode On Interviewing

In September, I published an article -- The Ten Best Interviewers In Podcasting. In that assessment, I rated the host of the Sound Judgment podcast --  Elaine Appleton Grant -- as the third-best interviewer.

Here's what I wrote: "The Host of Sound Judgment -- Grant is in a tough spot hosting this podcast. Sound Judgment is about being a better podcast host, so you need an excellent podcast host to legitimatize that point. Thankfully, Grant is superb. She possesses excellent cadence, a smidgen of earnestness, a touch of empathy, a dash of clarity, and a heaping of good humor."

 In the latest episode of Sound Judgment, out on December 14, Grant turns it up several notches. The episode title -- The Art Of True Curiosity -- is indeed a masterclass on how to interview and be a podcast host.

 Grant's guest is Kelly Corrigan, who has written four remarkable memoirs, each of which was a New York Times bestseller. Between her podcast, Kelly Corrigan Wonders, and her PBS show, Tell Me More, she’s interviewed authors, actors, philanthropists, and leaders of all kinds — everyone from Katie Couric and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Melinda Gates, Anne Lamott, Michael Lewis, Margaret Atwood, and famed human rights attorney Bryan Stevenson.

Clearly, Corrigan has VIP (Valuable Interviewing Person) written all over her resume. 

Here's what Elaine Appleton Grant says about this episode: "Kelly Corrigan is blunt but compassionate, serious and funny, a straight shooter with heart and soul who is deeply curious about how we can tackle the world’s biggest problems — while also noticing the smallest of details and delights. For this last episode before our holiday break, I’m delighted to be able to bring her to you. We can all learn how to be better interviewers from Kelly, and also better practitioners of curiosity and wonder."

The Sound Judgment podcast goes behind the scenes with today's great hosts to learn how they make their audio storytelling magic. The podcast explores their creative choices by pulling apart one episode at a time, together.

The podcast producers tell us that "The term 'sound judgment' connotes wise decisions, common sense, and clear thinking. All of which we intend — in the context of making wise creative choices about sound. I’m obsessively curious about the ingredients and methods — the creative choices — that make audio storytelling magic." 

In the episode, Grant and Corrigan share stories of their battle with cancer, stimulating our empathy muscle.

"I'm trying to make your listening worth it. We are asking for your attention, which is an exquisite currency, with so much coming at you," Corrigan observes.

Corrigan notes that "People have their go-to sound bites during interviews." She adds that people who are interviewed often develop an expertise about the event.

In an interview, Corrigan seeks out something not said before from the interview subject.  Corrigan wants the best from an interview subject. She explains how she goes beyond the mutually agreed-upon script to search for personal revelations. 

Then, Corrigan introduces the concept of intellectual humility, replacing conviction with curiosity because we don't know what we don't know. 

"Personal information in an interview lands for listeners," Corrigan. "It lands in the context of their life."

Corrigan recommends listening to a potential guest to get a sense of their cadence and rhythm before you interview them.

The episode exists on several layers, with Corrigan discussing the best practices and sharing wisdom on interviewing. Simultaneously, Grant is doing the interviewing on interviewing. Grant handles the interview with the grace of a ballet dancer, and the dexterity of a surgeon.

Check out this episode, especially if you're a podcast host, interviewer on any media, or just want to improve your communications skills.