COURSE DESCRIPTION

In a high-pressure world, being “thrown to the wolves” is inevitable—whether you’re fielding tough questions, negotiating under scrutiny, or navigating crises. This program equips professionals to respond with clarity, control, and confidence in any situation. Through practical frameworks, “verbal judo” strategies, and live role-play, you’ll build the skills and composure needed to turn stressful ambushes into moments of credible, calm leadership.

Who This Course is For:

• Business executives, senior managers, and team leaders
  
• Politicians, spokespeople, and public officials
  
• Lawyers, negotiators, and expert witnesses
  
• International consultants and crisis response professionals
  
• Media-facing professionals and subject matter experts
  
• Anyone who must remain composed and credible under fire

Learning Outcomes

Participants will leave this course able to:

• Identify when and why high-pressure "wolf moments” occur
  
• Use proven frameworks to organize thoughts and respond fast
  
• Buy precious time while maintaining credibility
  
• Reframe and redirect tough or hostile questions
  
• Engage in "verbal judo" to neutralize aggression and pivot
  
• Project confident, credible body language and tone
  
• Recognize and apply basic elicitation and NLP techniques
  
• Practice realistic role plays to build muscle memory
  
• Build a personalized toolkit for quick, calm, clear
  communication in any setting

Policies & Procedures

The CARVER Leadership curriculum is built around three core pillars: leading people, leading organizations, and leading global systems.  As a student in this course, you will develop the skills to:

Course Fees

Course fees must be paid before beginning a class. Fees are posted for each course. Some programs have special registration procedures and requirements. These are posted on the program/course web page.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, American Express, and company-approved purchase orders payable to USF Corporate Training and Professional Education. Personal checks, money orders, and cash are not accepted per university policy.

Attendance

To complete our open enrollment noncredit courses satisfactorily, you must attend 75 percent of multiple class meetings. One-day classes require full-day attendance. Some courses/programs may have additional completion requirements. Check the program description for details and/or check with your instructor. No course re-sits are allowed (participants that have not met the attendance requirement and are seeking a letter of completion for a course may re-register at full cost of attendance for a future offering).

Course Withdrawals / Refunds

USF reserves the right to cancel any noncredit course, in which case registration fees are fully refunded. If it becomes necessary for USF to cancel, postpone or combine courses, or change a course location, you will be notified by email or phone. It is important that we have your current contact information. If a course is cancelled, you will receive a full refund. If a registration is received after the enrollment limit has been reached, a full refund will be issued.

Withdrawals/Refunds from Corporate Training and Professional Education courses must be in writing, prior to the course start time.  Fees are associated with withdrawals/refunds.

Submit requests via email to [email protected]. No Withdrawals or Refunds will be issued after course start date.  

Allow 5-7 working days for credit card refunds and 6-8 weeks for check refunds.

THROWN TO THE WOLVES - UNDERSTANDING THE AMBUSH

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

• Define "wolf moments" - what they look like in different fields
• Explore why, when, how, and where you get ambushed
• Recognize the dynamics: surprise, pressure, hidden agendas
• Case studies: boardrooms, press conferences, legal depositions, high-stakes negotiations
• Self-assessment: How do you currently react when ambushed? 

KEY TAKEAWAY:
Awareness of the ambush is the first line of defense.

FRAMEWORKS & BUYING TIME- YOUR SURVIVAL KIT

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

• Decision-making under fire: the value of a clear structure
• Introduce practical frameworks: PREP, What? So What? Now What?, Bridge & Hook
• Drills: Applying frameworks to real scenarios
• Techniques to buy time: Clarifying, redirecting, using silence, tactical pauses
• Practice: Buying seconds without looking unsure

KEY TAKEAWAY:
A structured response keeps the wolves at bay while you regain control.

VERBAL JUDO & REFRAMING THE ATTACK

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

• What is Verbal Judo? Turning an opponent's force to your advantage
• Language patterns that deflect, redirect, and neutralize "gotcha" questions
• Reframing techniques to shift the conversation
• Handling tough individuals: assertive vs. aggressive vs. passive
• Body language mastery: micro-expressions, posture, and power signals
• Intro to elicitation and basic NLP: reading cues, planting cue

KEY TAKEAWAY:
Your words, tone, and posture can disarm the wolves - or feed them.

 ROLE PLAYS, SIMULATION & BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL TOOLKIT

• Real-world role-playing: crisis Q&A, aggressive questioning, negotiation hot seats
• Group feedback and micro-coaching
• Building your personal "Wolf Survival Kit":
  
  • Your go-to phrases
  • Your strongest frameworks
  • Your body language checkpoints
  • Your plan for high-stress moments
• Final scenario challenge: team "wolf den" simulation
• Action plan: practice habits, peer coaching, ongoing refinement 

KEY TAKEAWAY:
Surviving the wolves takes practice - and your toolkit evolves with you.