Good interviewing is based on four essential elements. – all of them aimed at getting people to talk from the heart about things that matter.

• The interviewer builds a relationship – a cocoon – with the interviewee to enable the two of them to ignore the outside world and talk openly and honestly together.
• The interviewer gives edge – challenge – to the interviewee, helping the interviewee delve inside and talk from the heart.
• The interviewer gives to get.
• The interviewer asks simple, human, caring, respectful, open questions.

When it comes to great interviewing, there are, of course, a whole lot of other, more general, guidelines. The best interviewer:

• Researches thoroughly.
• Mostly travels chronologically in the journey of discovery.
• Knows the start, the direction and the intended destination. Doesn’t necessarily know the exact route.
• Asks simple, probing questions in simple, spoken, language.
• Asks one question at a time.
• Interviews, wherever possible, in the appropriate location for the story.
• When appropriate, has the interviewee doing something while talking – something the interviewee would be doing anyway. Take advantage of real life. Don’t interrupt real life for interviews.
• Responds physically and emotionally while listening.
• Treats the powerful and the powerless with the same respect.
• Is vulnerable, warm and generous.
• Uses a tone of genuine, human interest.
• Helps people who need help – particularly the old, the young, the uneducated and people who have difficulty with the language.
• Seeks and draws out specifics, not generalities.
• Encourages illustrative stories.
• Rarely takes notes into the interview.
• Doesn’t show off research, knowledge or intelligence.
• Doesn’t compete with the interviewee for air time.
• Never precedes a question with phrases like "can I ask you?" or (unless the question is exceedingly delicate) "can you tell me ...?" If the interviewer can’t ask and the interviewee can’t tell there’s not much point in the interview.
• As a servant of the people, asks questions the viewer – the third person in the discussion – would ask.
• Listens. Listens. Listens.