Hi Reader,

Many of us have now seen the disastrous White House press briefing in the U.S. this week. And while people may have different opinions about what happened, as someone who spent years working on TV and now in leadership communications, I couldn't help but notice the communication lessons we can all learn.

Here's what stood out to me.

Speaking on the spot is tough and if you aren't prepared, you're setting yourself up for failure. That's basically what happened. She wasn't prepared.

In journalism, some of us call the press room a "war room." Questions come at you one after another. You have to process information quickly, stay composed, and respond in a way that makes sense to the audience.

For many of us, we'll never find ourselves in a situation like this, but maybe you've been asked a tough question in a leadership meeting, challenged by a senior executive, or put on the spot when you weren't expecting it.

The environment might be different, but the feeling is exactly the same.

So, what can we learn from this week's briefing? Here are three communication mistakes to watch out for and what you can do instead...

🎉 What I'm excited about...

I'm thrilled to invite you to a FREE communication event at Stanford University!

This will be the only time Stanford is opening it for free for anyone interested in elevating their communication skills with me.

I’m so grateful to the team for inviting me to lead this session, which will be part of a broader learning experience for their entire university staff!

In this 1 hour virtual session, I’ll be sharing these takeaways:

🔵 Communicate with Clarity

🔵 Own Your Impact

🔵 Influence Without Authority

Grab your spot (seats limited!)

1. Practice answering questions under pressure

When I prepare management teams for high-pressure situations, I don't just want them to rehearse their talking points. I want them to practice responding to questions in real time. The goal isn't to have the perfect answer every time. It's to get comfortable thinking on your feet without losing your composure. The more you practice, the less unfamiliar that pressure will feel. For Katie Zacharia, I truly don't believe she was set up for success.

2. Have a central message you can always return to

One of the biggest communication mistakes people make under pressure is trying to answer everything at once.

You get a tough question, start explaining, remember another detail, and suddenly your answer feels scattered. This is why I emphasize having a central message. Before your next high-stakes meeting, ask yourself: If my audience remembers only ONE thing from this conversation, what do I want it to be?

3. Pay attention to your body language

Here's something many people overlook: communication isn't just about the words coming out of your mouth. It's also about what your audience sees. When you're nervous, you might look down at your notes, smile awkwardly, rush through your answer, or avoid eye contact. Basically, it's what Katie did the entire time. You may know exactly what you want to say, but your delivery can create a different impression.

The best way to audit yourself? Record yourself, because you'll catch a lot you didn't know you were doing.

Here's what I want you to remember:

When you have the practice, you change how your message lands.

When you have the tools, you change how you're perceived.

When you have the skills, you change the impact you make.

Because at the end of the day, it's not just about what you say. It's about how you communicate when it matters most.

If you want to get better at answering questions on the spot, I break down more strategies in this video. You can watch it here (over 200K views):