Dr. Steve Wood shares what to look for in a corporate representative and a list of five (5) essential elements for someone to serve as an effective 30(b)(6) witness:
1) Humility - The individual has to feel comfortable saying "I don't know".
2) Patience - The witness needs to wait for the questioner to finish asking their question before responding. They also have to be patient with the deposition and litigation process as a whole.
3) Emotional poise - The witness must avoid making emotional mistakes and avoid being baited into emotional reactions by opposing counsel.
4) Confidence - An effective witness must be able to embrace their conduct and be confident and steadfast when being pushed by opposing counsel.
5) Open-mindedness - An effective corporate rep must trust the process. They have to take witness training and deposition prep seriously. They also must have a strong ability to focus on the task at hand and not allow themselves to be distracted.