How to Ask Better Questions - Behind the Pod

In an interview, the question should never be: ‘what was the highlight of your career?’

If you’re making the guest do all the heavy lifting with broad, uninspiring questions, you’re going to get broad and uninspiring answers.

Across 200 long-form interviews on the Between Two Beers podcast, we’ve developed a formula to create more engaging chats.

It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it is putting in the work.

We go wide to go narrow.

In our prep, we listen to other podcasts our guests have been on, read news articles, scan their social media and talk to their friends, colleagues and family.

And then we narrow in. Six pages of notes become one.

Our goal is to uncover the most interesting part of their story and ask about it in the most interesting way.

Instead of asking Ryan Nelsen about what his time was like as captain of Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League, we asked what the culture was like that allowed Turkish star Tugay to smoke in the toilets at halftime.

Instead of asking Raelene Castle how she got her start in sports administration - we asked what she did in the 60 minutes after she heard on the radio that the Netball NZ CEO had resigned.

The magic happens in interviews when the subject is engaged and if you show up having done the work – you’ll be amazed what comes back at you.

Next week on the pod we share our chat with Joe Daymond, one of New Zealand’s best and funniest comedians who shot to fame during lockdown with his snackable social media vids.

He’s now an award-winning comedian, actor, director and producer who has sold out national tours across both New Zealand & Australia.

Joe is hilarious, but he also has incredible depth. This conversation was a ripper, full of thoughtfulness and laughs.

Joe also looks a lot like Seamus – and as this one progresses I become more and more amazed at how eerily similar they are. Two beautiful men – ha, Its good stuff. 

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