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.

High-stakes interviews and public briefings test preparation, judgment, composure, and message discipline at the same time. This course prepares public-safety leaders and spokespersons to answer difficult questions, communicate uncertainty, stay within known facts, and avoid language that can undermine an investigation or the organization's credibility. Participants examine how edited clips, follow-up questions, body language, and the pressure to fill silence affect performance. The emphasis is on practical preparation and a communication structure leaders can use under scrutiny.

Designed ForPublic safety leaders & spokespersons

Format1 day

Course AreaCommunications

Course Focus

Preparing for difficult questionsCommunicating known facts and uncertaintyStaying credible in interviews and briefingsMessage discipline, presence, and follow-through

Instruction

Meet the Practitioners Leading This Course.

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

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

Speaking Under Pressure: High-Stakes Communication

Practical Context Before the Next Decision.

Meet the Practitioners Leading This Course.

Matt Petrillo

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