--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This morning I watched a Diane Sawyer…" description: "\"“This morning I watched a Diane Sawyer interview where there wasn’t one awkward pause. The trick is to pose good questions. “So how was being in the wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kathleen-hale-56759_interview_this-morning-i-watched-a-diane-sawyer-in_510764.jpg" --- # This morning I watched a Diane Sawyer interview where… ![“This morning I watched a Diane Sawyer interview where there wasn’t one awkward pause. The trick is to pose good questions. “So how was being in the war?” I ask. I’m always saying the wrong thing.” quote by Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kathleen-hale-56759_interview_this-morning-i-watched-a-diane-sawyer-in_510764.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kathleen-hale-56759_interview_this-morning-i-watched-a-diane-sawyer-in_510764.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kathleen-hale-56759_interview_this-morning-i-watched-a-diane-sawyer-in_510764.jpg) > ““This morning I watched a Diane Sawyer interview where there wasn’t one awkward pause. The trick is to pose good questions. “So how was being in the war?” I ask. I’m always saying the wrong thing.”” [Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective questioning avoids awkward pauses and reveals deeper insight, especially on sensitive topics like war. **In simple terms:** Good questions keep conversation flowing. Key Takeaway Practice thoughtful, open‑ended questioning. Themes communication interviewing empathy Mood inquisitive empathetic Type professional educational When to use this quote - journalism - education - conflict resolution Key Concepts question design active listening Questions to Reflect On - How can you frame sensitive questions compassionately? - What follow‑up reveals true experience? A Different Perspective Complex topics may still elicit discomfort despite good questions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Saying the wrong thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-the-wrong-thing/) ## Related quotes > [“Oh. Lord have mercy. Victor wasn’t here to help with the interview. This wasn’t an interview at all. It was an audition. Her heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/oh-lord-have-mercy-victor-wasn-t-here-to-help-with-the-interview-this/) [Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/) > [In all the time I was with L.T.D., I was never allowed to do an interview by myself. I wasn't even allowed to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-osborne/in-all-the-time-i-was-with-l-t-d-i-was-never-allowed-to-do-an/) [Jeffrey Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-osborne/) > [To me, Jeb Bush is hitting his stride. He was the most composed, the most endpoint, the most in control, I've seen him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/to-me-jeb-bush-is-hitting-his-stride-he-was-the-most-composed-the/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [I'm really bothered by questions of humanity, questions of war, questions of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-liu/i-m-really-bothered-by-questions-of-humanity-questions-of-war/) [Marjorie Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-liu/) > [I've stopped war reporting. I realized that I'd answered all of my questions about war and about myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/i-ve-stopped-war-reporting-i-realized-that-i-d-answered-all-of-my/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) > [The mainstream press was not aggressive enough after 9/11, was not aggressive enough in asking questions about a decision to go to war in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-baquet/the-mainstream-press-was-not-aggressive-enough-after-9-11-was-not/) [Dean Baquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-baquet/) > [Those are serious questions of war and peace, of freedom or tyranny, whether or not there is ever going to be a hope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wamp/those-are-serious-questions-of-war-and-peace-of-freedom-or-tyranny/) [Zach Wamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wamp/) > [“In this way, he found answers to some of the questions he had about war. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mich-le-audin/in-this-way-he-found-answers-to-some-of-the-questions-he-had-about/) [Michèle Audin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mich-le-audin/) > [I'm so privileged to sit where Diane Sawyer and Peter Jennings sat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-muir/i-m-so-privileged-to-sit-where-diane-sawyer-and-peter-jennings-sat/) [David Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-muir/) > [I was so honored when Diane Sawyer named me 'Person of the Week,' and like I told her, 'Diane, I love my daughter.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-osmond/i-was-so-honored-when-diane-sawyer-named-me-person-of-the-week-and/) [Marie Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-osmond/) > [“My mother is always eager to talk when I come over, as if she were a famous actress and I am Diane Sawyer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/my-mother-is-always-eager-to-talk-when-i-come-over-as-if-she-were-a/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [In college, I interned for Diane Sawyer my sophomore summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-huntsman/in-college-i-interned-for-diane-sawyer-my-sophomore-summer/) [Abby Huntsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-huntsman/) > [Honestly, since the Diane Sawyer piece, every day it's like, it's exciting to go to the mailbox... Because I get letters every day from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlyn-jenner/honestly-since-the-diane-sawyer-piece-every-day-it-s-like-it-s/) [Caitlyn Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlyn-jenner/) > [I love being on camera. And I love knowing what's going on in the world. Diane Sawyer is my favorite. She never seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-love-being-on-camera-and-i-love-knowing-what-s-going-on-in-the/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [“Do something you really love in the most adventurous place you can and make sure it helps other people. --Diane Sawyer quoted from her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/do-something-you-really-love-in-the-most-adventurous-place-you-can/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) ## More by Kathleen Hale > [“Dom looks disgusted. “It’s not like you to be mean.” “Mean?” I throw my hands up. “Everyone else is mean, okay? Not me. I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hale/dom-looks-disgusted-it-s-not-like-you-to-be-mean-mean-i-throw-my/) [Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) > [“Forgiveness feels like hope and like a challenge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hale/forgiveness-feels-like-hope-and-like-a-challenge/) [Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) > [“Anything you want to be, you can come be that with us. Rain or shine, no problem”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hale/anything-you-want-to-be-you-can-come-be-that-with-us-rain-or-shine-no/) [Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) > [“...the happy weight of secret love is just as heavy as sadness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hale/the-happy-weight-of-secret-love-is-just-as-heavy-as-sadness/) [Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) > [“... how sad I felt about the dodo bird, which became extinct due to its friendly tendency to walk up to human strangers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hale/how-sad-i-felt-about-the-dodo-bird-which-became-extinct-due-to-its/) [Kathleen Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) [Explore all 6 Kathleen Hale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hale/) ## More Interview quotes > [On my podcast, I got to interview Will Ferrell, Sam Hunt, Colin Cowherd - all these different names - and it was just really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/on-my-podcast-i-got-to-interview-will-ferrell-sam-hunt-colin-cowherd/) [Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/) > [If you're going for an interview, you will dress smartly and look the part, that is absolutely fine, but it's just the level to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/if-you-re-going-for-an-interview-you-will-dress-smartly-and-look-the/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [I'm not really a big fan of doing interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-m-not-really-a-big-fan-of-doing-interviews/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. 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Is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/who-is-this-man-i-m-supposed-to-interview-this-man-whose-last-name-is/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [When you're interviewing someone, you're in control. When you're being interviewed, you think you're in control, but you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/when-you-re-interviewing-someone-you-re-in-control-when-you-re-being/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [I do interview senior candidates at the home office or many of our hotel or restaurant General Manager candidates. 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