Conversation Field Guide: How to Start an Interview
The only question that is the same in every Legacy Interview is the first one. It isn’t really a question, but rather a request:
“To begin, would you say and spell your full name?”
Creating confidence
It is such a simple question that it is hard to imagine just how much work it does as our opening.
First, it signals to the guest that we are beginning, and it gives them confidence because they are able to easily answer the question. This confidence is essential; even the most successful and beloved people can be nervous about their interview.
Almost every guest comes in with trepidation. Even if they like the spotlight or enjoy telling stories, once the experience begins, there can be concern about how the conversation will go, how their stories will stack up, and that a story included or left out may hurt someone’s feelings.
Once they hear the question, they breathe a sigh of relief because it is already easier than they expected.
Preparing for the future
Anyone that has looked into genealogy realizes that family names are more flexible than we might otherwise assume. Accents, time and changing cultures can alter the spelling and pronunciation of last names. This question may seem small but the answer could be valuable knowledge in just a few generations.
During many opening questions, guests have added details about how their names were changed or discussed how they discovered that their pronunciation was different from what they were taught as children.
Discover how detail-oriented your guest will be
The Legacy Interview guide needs to quickly assess how a guest conveys information. Do they recall tiny details or are they comfortable with ambiguity? Sometimes guests will ask “do you want my maiden name too?” Or volunteer more information than what I asked, often describing their name’s origin, or including last names from both sides of their family.
These small clues will help the host understand from the very beginning how to engage with the guest so that they are the most comfortable. You will see if they like to be more in control of the interview, or if they want you to give them very specific questions. what they share will also give you clues about what your next questions should be.
What to ask next:
Your goal coming out of the first question is to ensure that guests feel they are being listened to. The host’s job is to signal engagement. Make eye contact, nod, and when they give the conversation back to you, ask a clear follow up that is equally easy to answer but has more degrees of freedom.
How a guest answers this first question creates a path for follow up questions. If they jumped right in, you can ask for more information like, “Where are the Bawdens from?” or, “What was your mother’s maiden name?” These questions invite the confident person to explore their past.
If the guest is reluctant to give longer answers or appears uncomfortable, you can ask another question for them to answer correctly and confidently, but that also changes the subject. “Where did your people come from?” or “What did your dad do for a living?” By changing the subject, but continuing to ask questions that usually have a clear answer, the reluctant guest has a chance to find a subject they enjoy talking about.
An indicator of the guest’s ability
Sadly, there have been times when I have asked this question and the guest struggles to remember core facts about their life. This question also offers you insight into a guest’s state of cognition t. It helps you as a host to know if they might have some changes to their mental acuity and you can adjust your questions so that you find questions they can answer.
In fact, my own uncle struggled to spell his last name during his Legacy Interview. While it was heartbreaking to see this once strong, vibrant man struggling to spell his name, it gave me a more realistic understanding of his capabilities. I was able to ask better questions and recognize when his answers were trailing off due to memory challenges.
Conclusion
As you start to record interviews, you should use this as a great first question until you have enough experience to establish another question that helps you:
Give your guests confidence
Preserve history by capturing spelling and pronunciation
Figure out where to take the next questions
Recognize any cognitive issues you will need to account for
