Prepare the guest, not a script
Research the guest and agree two or three themes. Send them in advance, so the guest is not surprised. Do not send the exact questions unless you want rehearsed answers.
A question structure
Start easy, build and end with a forward look.
- Opening: a question the guest can answer without thinking.
- Story: ask for a moment, not an opinion.
- Depth: ask why, and what changed.
- Challenge: one question that gently pushes.
- Close: what should the listener do or know?
Follow-ups beat prepared questions
The best material arrives after the answer. Phrases such as ‘what do you mean by that?’ and ‘can you give an example?’ turn a general answer into a specific one.
Questions to avoid
Avoid yes-or-no questions, long preambles and questions that contain the answer. Avoid asking two questions at once, since guests answer the easier one.
Make the edit easier
Leave a short pause before speaking, avoid talking over answers and say the guest's name once. A clean conversation is faster to edit and sounds more natural.