Communications

Speaking Under Pressure: High-Stakes Communication

Prepares leaders for interviews, difficult questions, public scrutiny, edited messaging, and the need to stay credible under pressure.

Course Details

Course Overview

Practical Context Before the Next Decision.

This course prepares public safety leaders and spokespersons for interviews, press briefings, difficult questions, and other communications where every word may be recorded, edited, and scrutinized. Participants practice organizing clear responses, maintaining composure, correcting false premises, and staying credible under pressure. Attendees leave with a repeatable method for communicating confidently without speculating or losing message control.

Designed ForPublic safety leaders & spokespersons
Format1 day
Course AreaCommunications

Course Focus

Media interaction and interviewsManaging difficult or hostile questionsMaintaining credibility and composureUnderstanding how messaging is edited and presented

Instruction

Meet the Practitioners Leading This Course.

Course leadership is matched to the subject and grounded in direct professional experience.

Matt Petrillo headshot
Instructor of Crisis and Strategic Communications

Matt Petrillo

Matt Petrillo is Director of Communications for Temple University's Department of Public Safety. He previously spent more than a decade in television journalism, including reporting for CBS News Philadelphia on breaking news, crime, public safety, and major incidents. That combination gives him firsthand knowledge of how information is gathered, framed, and distributed under pressure. Matt's instruction focuses on message discipline, media relations, internal coordination, strategic storytelling, and the choices that shape trust before, during, and after a crisis. He helps leaders understand what to say, when to say it, and how communication decisions affect operations and credibility.

Crisis Messaging, Media Relations, Public Narratives, and Organizational Credibility