Don't Give up the Mic
- Tracy Hooper
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
There’s a moment nearly every leader faces, especially on stage.
You’re on stage. You’re holding the microphone. You ask a thoughtful question of someone on stage with you and the speaker keeps talking and talking.
Recently, this situation came up with a client. We were preparing for her role at a large awards ceremony. Twenty-five honorees. One question each. And a 30-second response. The timing was tight to keep the event on track. And she asked me, “How can I manage the mic?”
That’s such a great question! When someone starts to ramble, many leaders freeze. They don’t want to interrupt. They don’t want to seem rude. And so, they wait and wait, hoping the other person will “bring it in for a landing,” which they rarely do.
This reminds me of the legendary sports broadcaster, Jim Nantz. After the Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII, Nantz interviewed Ray Lewis, the Ravens’ 6’1”, 250 lb. middle linebacker. Ray was fired up.
Later, Jim said, “Ray tried to grab the microphone away from me and I’m holding on for dear life! I am arm wrestling the great Ray Lewis on national television. And with all my might, I was able to somehow hold on!”
And then Jim said something I’ve always remembered. “When you give up the mic, you give up the network.” As a former TV news reporter, I lived by that same rule. You never give up the microphone during an interview. And that lesson applies directly to leadership.
The microphone represents responsibility and respect. Respect for time, respect for the audience, and for everyone else waiting for their 30-seconds at the mic. Confident leaders don’t hand over the microphone. They manage it. You hold it. You listen. And then you step in at the right time and say,
“Thank you for that insight.” Or,
“That’s a powerful message. Congratulations!” Or,
“We need more people like you in our community. Bravo!”
Then you close and you move on. That is not rude. That’s leadership. Your job is to acknowledge the speaker, honor the audience, and keep the program moving.
So, the next time you are leading a meeting, or guiding a conversation, or moderating a panel, or standing on stage with a microphone in your hand, remember, “Don’t give up the mic.”
Because when you manage the microphone, you manage the moment, and that’s what confident leaders do.
Thank you for reading.
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