There may be no more challenging experience for a communicator than to appear before the media to discuss a deadly tragedy involving a good friend.
That was the scenario Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faced when he spoke to reporters about the murder of his friend and colleague Melissa Hortman, the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. An assassin shot and killed Hortman and her husband and wounded another state representative and his wife.
Within hours of the assassinations, Walz talked to the media about Speaker Hortman and her legacy. He was obviously broken but managed to control his emotions, as you’ll see in the clip below.
We applaud Walz for his composure and his authentic but not slick persona. He used a script or bullet points, which we recommend, while still maintaining decent eye contact. Walz didn’t wing his remarks. He knew what he wanted to say and delivered his messages with credibility and sincerity.
Of course, we hope you never find yourself in this horrific situation. But if you do, use Tim Walz as your model for navigating through a challenge no one wants to face.