Interview with Carlos Salas, Training Advisor at PROA Comunicación
In an increasingly complex media environment, where every word counts and every gesture can go viral, the figure of the spokesperson plays a key role in the reputation of any organisation. At PROA Comunicación we are well aware of this, and we offer tailor-made Spokesperson Training programmes for companies and executives who want to deal with everything from an interview to a crisis situation. That is why we rely on one of the leading experts in spokesperson training in our country: Carlos Salas.
With more than two decades of experience, Carlos has trained executives from companies such as Accenture, Repsol, BBVA, KPMG, Google or Telefónica, as well as institutions such as Guardia Civil or CNMV, in Spain, Colombia and Venezuela. His practical, rigorous and deeply human approach has made his sessions a reference for those who understand that leading also involves knowing how to communicate.
Salas has directed media such as The Economist, Metro o lainformacion.comwas editor-in-chief at The World for ten years, and today he combines his work at PROA with teaching at schools such as IESE, EAE Business School and the Complutense University. In this interview, he shares the keys to a training that transforms not only the way we speak, but also the way we lead.
Why do you think spokesperson training has become an essential tool for managers today?
Because today everything communicates. It is not enough to know a lot or to lead well: if you do not know how to tell it, if you do not know how to respond clearly and calmly to a difficult question, the perception you generate may be very different from what you really are. We live in a hypermediated environment, with social networks that amplify every word and every gesture. Spokesperson training is not a luxury, it is a necessity for any leader who wants to be heard and understood, not only by journalists, but also by their teams, their clients and society.
In your training you usually work with both the authorities and the media. What key differences should a spokesperson take into account when communicating with both?
With the authorities, language tends to be more formal, more oriented towards protocol, institutional respect, even well-measured silence. With the media, on the other hand, it is necessary to be more direct, clearer, more human. Journalists are not looking for a communiqué, they are looking for a story, a meaningful sentence, an emotion. The spokesperson must adapt his or her language, tone and attitude according to who is listening. And this can be trained. He must see the journalist as an opportunity to send a message to the public, even in the midst of a crisis.
One of the modules deals with how to act in contexts of crisis or institutional visits. What are the most frequent mistakes that managers make at such moments?
Wanting to improvise. Or the other way around: hiding behind a script they don't feel. In times of crisis or high visibility, mistakes are amplified. I have seen managers deny the obvious, blame others or simply go into a blockade. There are also those who confuse transparency with "honesty". The key is to prepare for the unpredictable: to train not only what you are going to say, but how you are going to react if something goes wrong. Because something will go wrong, and that's where your leadership is measured.
You work a lot on the practical part: simulated press conferences, speeches, recorded interviews, how do the participants react when they find themselves in such realistic situations?
At first, with surprise... and sometimes with fear. Because it's one thing to talk, and another to see yourself talking. But that's the magic: when they see themselves on camera, when they feel the pressure of an unexpected question, they connect with what they are really projecting. And that's when the real learning begins. Some laugh, some get uncomfortable, but everyone learns. And the best thing is when they discover that they can do better while still being themselves.
How do you prepare an effective message when you only have a couple of minutes, such as in a political speech or in front of the press?
With focus and purpose. Ask yourself: What do I want them to remember about me when this is over? A short message does not mean shallow. It means clear. And for that you have to cut through the chaff, choose your words well and, above all, connect with the emotion of the listener. I teach them to think like scriptwriters: a first sentence that hooks, a powerful central idea, and a closing that leaves an impression. That can be done in a minute if you train well. And when they do it, it becomes a headline in all the media.
In your sessions you insist on non-verbal language, gestures, etiquette. Is what is not said as important as what is said?
Even more! People don't just listen to your words, they watch you. How you look, how you move your hands, how you breathe. If your body contradicts your message, the message loses strength. You can say you are calm, but if your eyes shake or your voice cracks, no one will believe you. Non-verbal language can't be faked, but it can be aligned with your intention. That is what we work on: coherence between what you think, what you say and how you convey it.
When training a manager, do you build on their strengths and differences from other spokespersons or do you try to steer them towards a more neutral communication profile?
I never look for cloned spokespersons. The beauty of this job is discovering each person's unique voice. There are serene managers who win because of their calm, others because of their passion, others because of their surgical clarity. My job is to refine what they already have, not to change it into a standard mould. Authenticity is not taught, but it is protected and enhanced. And when a spokesperson connects with their natural way of communicating, they become unbeatable.
How much weight does the personal reputation of the manager weigh against the corporate reputation of his or her company? Do they always go hand in hand?
The reputation of the manager is today the visible face of the company. There are cases where a good intervention by the leader saves a crisis... and others where a badly spoken sentence drags the company down. But it is also true that a good leader can humanise a brand, give it credibility. They go hand in hand, yes, but not always at the same pace. That is why it is so important to take care of both: the brand you represent and the person who embodies it.
How has the figure of the spokesperson evolved in recent years with the rise of social networks, new platforms and the immediacy of information?
Now the spokesperson does not only have a camera in front of him: he has millions of eyes waiting for a phrase, a mistake, a gesture. Networks have democratised the voice, but they have also accelerated the pressure. There is no longer time to prepare a response for a week. Today you have to be able to react in minutes. This requires a different kind of preparation: more mental agility, more empathy, more digital presence. And, above all, more truth. Because what is not authentic is noticed... and punished.
What advice would you give to a manager who has never been trained as a spokesperson and is facing his or her first interview or public event?
Don't try to be someone else. Do not disguise yourself as a spokesperson, but prepare to tell what you know from your real experience. And rehearse. Let him record himself. Let him or her be helped. Because no one is born knowing how to communicate under pressure, but we can all learn. And once you do, there is no turning back: you discover a powerful tool that accompanies you in every meeting, every presentation, every challenge. And that, believe me, makes all the difference.