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CHAPTER 5

THE GENTLE INTERROGATOR

Bridging Questions

WHEN I CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW, most of the time guests show up willingly, even happily. They want to make their point, tell their story, or sell their book. They want to speak to the wider world and share their thoughts or experiences. Certainly that’s true for guests who go on Terry Gross’s show. She offers an audience in the millions. People make appointments to see Betty Pristera so she can question their inner selves and peel back their defenses. They want her help. But what about people who do not want to connect? How do you build bridges to people who are suspicious or distrustful, resentful or worse? What happens when someone you want to draw out doesn’t want to talk? Reaching out to ...