Listen and watch: interviews about business books, AI, and storytelling
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Listen and watch: interviews about business books, AI, and storytelling

I’m grateful to the hardworking podcasters and video creators who’ve been interested enough in my book to interview me. These are some of the most creative and best-prepared thinkers out there, working hard to come up with new perspectives that will benefit their listeners and viewers. Here’s a short list of unique interviews I’ve just…

Why (and how) to do primary research

Why (and how) to do primary research

There are two kinds of research: primary research and secondary research. Primary research means finding new facts that have never been published before. Secondary research means finding facts that were already published. Nonfiction books that matter almost always include primary research, because otherwise the book is just a rehash. It’s very hard to draw startling…

How to get that executive case study interview

How to get that executive case study interview

Business books include case studies and perspectives from executives. Executives live in impenetrable corporate fortresses. How can you get them to go on the record? I’ve already written about how to find the stories — through your own experience, existing vendor case studies, and news articles. So my starting point for this post is that…

Writers: say these words before every interview you conduct
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Writers: say these words before every interview you conduct

You’ve lined up some time with a smart person. You’re about to interview them on the phone or in person, and you’re eager to get started. So after the small talk is done, you ask the first question. You’ve made a mistake. There’s something you’d better say first. And based on the tears and rending…

The Economist interview: Orwellian rambling from Donald Trump
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The Economist interview: Orwellian rambling from Donald Trump

The distinguished editors at The Economist interviewed President Trump. When I set out to analyze his statements, I felt as if I had wandered into a hall of mirrors. Donald Trump is a persuasive person who, one-on-one, has been able to make deals all over the world. He’s the master of communicating in tweets and campaign rallies. But…

Preparation is the key to a great research interview (Ask Dr. Wobs)
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Preparation is the key to a great research interview (Ask Dr. Wobs)

Preparation is the key to a successful research interview. Deliberate planning makes sure your time isn’t wasted — which is the concern expressed in today’s reader question. Dear Dr. Wobs: Good analysis requires research: analyzing data and interviewing people. I know how to make my research data sing. But how do I prepare for and conduct…