What can we learn from Larry King?

I recently saw an interview with Larry King on a TV show. Usually that kind of thing does not interest me but for some reason I started paying attention to the dialogue between Larry and the woman who was interviewing him. I thought to myself, it must be kind of scary interviewing Larry King! King is described as the "Muhammad Ali of the broadcast interview"

Larry King's career has spanned over 50 years. He has conducted some 40,000 interviews with politicians, athletes, entertainers and other news makers. King's style is direct and non-confrontational. He is known for his general lack of pre-interview preparation.

I don't understand. Why would he not prepare? People tune in to Larry King expecting to hear superb journalism and captivating storytelling. Why would Larry not spend time researching the life and foibles of his guests before they appear on his show? He would know what to say to trip them up, to put them on the spot. Would that not make for even better television, you know like the Gerry Springer show?

King said that the trick to being a good interviewer is to get out of your own way. He reminds himself that he is no one special. His job, as he sees it, is to give his guest a platform to speak, to be heard, to show his or her humanity. Larry said "I believe that the "I" is irrelevant to the interview. I try to remove myself completely from the equation. It is all about the guest."

The questions Larry asks of his guests are very simple. They are questions that come from his intense curiosity. "If I were just a man on the street what would I like to ask Obama? I would like to know how he likes his job. What is the hardest thing for him? What has changed as a result of becoming president in his personal life? Was that change expected or a surprise?"

Larry went on to say that he feels no need to be confrontational and that in fact, it is because of his reputation as a frank and direct interviewer that he has attracted some guests that typically shun that kind of visibility. "If I was out to "get" my guest, to catch them in a lie or to force them to reveal something that would be detrimental to their career they would not trust me. The interview would be stifled and somewhat artificial." The key to Larry King's success then is to focus on the other person. Simple and profound at the same time...

So why am I going on and on about Larry King? Well the whole point of this blog is not about Larry King as such but King's story serves as a springboard to explore the concept of being a megaphone for the voice of others.

What if we all pretended to be Larry King in our interactions in the workplace?

What if we all decided to be truly curious and interested in the people we meet?
What if through our respectful listening we could help the people we interact with to broadcast loudly and proudly who they are?
What if the boss realized that he can learn as much from his employees or the janitorial staff than he can learn from a peer or a superior? What if the boss started listening to people in that way? What if the employees listened to the boss with that new found respect?
What if in the end, it's not about finding a way to look good by making the other look bad but rather to lead the way so we can both look good together?

Food for thought:
What would you like to announce to the world if Larry King was interviewing you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_King