Being a government spokesperson can be a challenging and rewarding job. You have the ability to reach millions, sometimes 10s of millions, hundreds of millions of people with important messages that can drastically improve their lives or even save their lives. But there's a downside to because reporters who might normally be polite deferential to people in the business community, see you as an open target. If you work for the government, there's often the assumption that you're a liar. You're obfuscating, you're hiding, you're doing something nefarious. And people on the internet are going to dissect your every move and accuse you of doing something evil or for selfish purposes.

So it's a tough job being a spokesperson for any government agency, any government official, but someone has to do it. I've been there. I know what it's like. I've been a press secretary and spokesperson for various Politicians, campaigns and in government offices, it is challenging this course is going to teach you how to make the best of it specifically, how to look your best. Come across composed, comfortable, confident, relaxed, even when an angry press corps is yelling, screaming at you, accusing you of lying, accusing you of doing cover all sorts of things. You can still look comfortable, confident, poised, relaxed.

That's the first goal. The second goal is knowing how to shape a message, how to go from a complex subject. I mean, let's face it, everything in government is complex because you're having to create policies that affect your entire community or state or country. So it's by definition complex. You've got to narrow your message down to a focused clear cut simple three part message something that can be said in 30 seconds. The third goal is how to answer questions in an interview.

Now, a lot of reporters think that all people in government, all government spokespeople, Dodge questions, obfuscate and dance around the issue. You can't do that you can't fit into the caricature. Well, I'm glad you asked me that. But what's really important here today and then dive to the question, that doesn't work that makes you look like a fool. And that puts a bull's eye on you for reporters to attack you and vilify you. So there is an art answering questions in such a way that the reporter you'll somewhat satisfied and yet you'll still get the message you want across.

That's what gets across. That's what we're after in the scores. The fourth goal, the final goal, the most important goal is helping you get the exact quote you want in the story. Not dodging Bullets not controlling the interview, not getting the reporter to like you. All those concepts are, frankly a complete utter waste of time, in my view. You need to look at this as a process defined as what are the results?

What are the actual quotes that we got from our side from our spokesperson in this story. Now, if you work for government, you're not going to be happy with every news story. And anyone who guarantees you otherwise is trying to trick you. But what you can do what is a realistic goal is for you to get the quotes you want in that store. I'd much rather have a story where there are nine people trashing me and vilifying me and I'm saying why what are government agencies doing is the right thing. Then to have a story where they're 10 people attacking me and then a statement from the reporter saying a spokesperson for the Office of Such and such TJ Walker refused to comment.

That's not what you want. And by the way, I'm a big believer you should never ever, ever say No comment. There are times when you can't comment. Certainly, there's lawsuits pending litigation when you can't come in, but you don't literally ever have to say no comment, or I can't comment, you can always say, we'd be happy to inform the public on that, once it's worked its way through the court system or something in a positive way. We'll go over all that in the course. In the lesson on how to answer questions.

Those are the goals for this course. Let's hop in