Course Description

Crisis Communications Training for Oil and Gas Executives

This course is for oil and gas executives who may have to face the media during a crisis. You will learn exactly how to look comfortable, prepare messages, answer questions and speak in sound bites. You will learn how to avoid disastrous sound bites and off message quotes that have cost other energy companies billions of dollars in market cap in the past. You will be prepared to face the media in the future if and when you suffer a crisis.

The BP Gulf disaster cost that company tens of billions of dollars in market cap, in part, because of how poorly their executives handled the media during this crisis. You can learn from their mistakes.

TJ Walker has conducted media training and crisis communications training workshops for oil and gas executives from the Middle East to Texas to around the world. He will give you real world examples on exactly what to do and not do during a crisis.

If a disaster hits your refinery, tanker, or well, the whole world is going to see it. The media will come calling. You must have good answers to fair questions. "No comment" will be interpreted as guilt of negligence and environmental law breaking. And bad answers will generate headlines around the world, especially if you claim that you "want your life back!"

You can't control all events surrounding a crisis and you can't control the media's questions, but you CAN control your message, your answers and your sound bites. If you are an energy executive, you owe it to yourself, your career and your company's brand to sign up today for the

Crisis Communications Training for Oil and Gas Executives Course

President, Media Training Worldwide

TJ Walker

TJ Walker is the founder of Media Training Worldwide and has been conducting public speaking training workshops and seminars since 1984. Walker has trained Presidents of countries, Prime Ministers, Nobel Peace Prize winners, Super Bowl winners, U.S. Senators, Miss Universes and Members of Parliament.His book, "Secret to Foolproof Presentations" was a USA Today #1 Bestseller, as well as a Wall Street Journal, and Business Week Bestseller.  A frequent network news communications analyst, Walker has made more than 2000 network TV and radio appearances on CBS, ABC, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN, Bloomberg TV, Al Jazeera, NBC, CCTV, Fox Business, HLN, TrueTV, Comedy Central, Sirius and NPR.In 2009, Walker entered the Guinness Book Of World Records for most talk show appearances ever in a 24 hour period. Yearly, Walker has more than a quarter of a million views of his public speaking tips videos on social media platforms.Walker is also the author of "Media Training A-Z" and "Media Training Success." Walker is also the producer/host The Facebook Page "TJ Walker - Speak to Influence" a source of daily public speaking training videos, tips and inspiration. He is also a past president of the National Speakers Association, New York City.Walker is the most prolific producer of presentation skills online training courses in the world, with more than 100 separate courses. He has more than 50,000 students enrolled from 172 countries.Walker was a merit scholar at Duke University where he graduated magna cum laude. He has lectured or conducted trainings at Yale University, Columbia University and Princeton University.***“TJ Walker’s single-minded devotion to presentation has made him the #1 expert for executives seeking guidance on speaking to the public and media.” Bob Bowdon, Anchor/Reporter, Bloomberg Television“TJ Walker is the leading media trainer in the world.” Stu Miller, Viacom News Producer“The world’s leading presentation and media training firm.” Gregg Jarrett, Fox News Channel Anchor“To break through the cluttered media environment, it's important to get your message out in a clear and concise way. TJ knows how to do it and gives you the tips to succeed."

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Why planning for a crisis is crucial

  • 2

    Messaging

  • 3

    Answering Questions and Hold Press Conferences

    • How to Answer Questions

    • More basics on How to Answer Questions in a Media Interview

    • Biggest Blunders to Avoid

    • Answer One Question at a Time

    • Keep Your Eyes on Your Message Points

    • Do Not Repeat Negative Words from a Reporter

    • Tell Reporters 'I Don't Know'

    • Always Be Moving toward Your Message Points

    • Give Brief Answers to Tough Questions

    • Aim for All Three Messages In Every Answer

    • Re-Write the Reporter's Questions in Media Interviews

    • Don't Add One more thing at the End of the Interview

    • Don't try to Control the Interview
  • 4

    Sound Bites and Quotes

    • Oil and Gas Sound Bites

    • What is a Sound Bite?

    • Sound Bites: Bold Action Words

    • Sound Bites: Reporters Love Cliches

    • Sound Bites: Emotion

    • Sound Bites: Give Specific Examples

    • Sound Bites: Absolutes

    • Sound Bite Tools: Attacks

    • Sound Bite Tools: Humor

    • Sound Bite Tools: Rhetorical Questions

    • Sound Bite Tools: Analogies

    • Sound Bite Tools Pop Culture References

    • Three Easiest Sound Bite Tools

    • Reflections on Sound Bites
  • 5

    Final Preparations

    • How to Rehearse in 60 Seconds or Less

    • Feedback

    • Conclusion and Final Tips
  • 6

    Bonus Section

    • The Epic Crisis Communications Disasters of BP

    • Lecture from Liaqat Amin Satti

    • Media Training A to Z

    • Media Training Success

    • Bonus Course