Losing composure while speaking in public is seldom a good look. When people get angry during an interview or a public meeting, their credibility takes a hit and their messages get lost. In other words, their outburst becomes the news.
We found a perfect example of this during a public meeting of the Harris County Commissioner’s Court, the governing body of unincorporated areas around Houston. The commissioners and the county judge, who functions like a mayor, were discussing a proposed property tax increase.
At one point, County Judge Lina Hidalgo got angry at one of the commissioners and accused him of disrespecting her. Hidalgo went into a tirade in full view of the public. Take a look at the television coverage in the clip below.
As the reporter indicated, this was a 12-hour meeting to discuss the proposed tax increase and other significant issues. Yet, the issues were drowned out by the county judge’s tirade. Hidalgo’s anger, not the pros and cons of the tax increase, became the news.
Don’t let this happen to you. If you’re involved in a public meeting or media interaction, don’t lose your cool no matter how upset you might be over a question or someone’s perceived treatment of you. In the end, you, not your messages, will become the news and you will not be pleased with it.