Welcome to Under Pressure, a video series exploring what happens when communications, politics, and operations collide in real time. The series examines how decisions are made when information is incomplete, scrutiny is high and organizations must respond quickly.
We invite you to explore the episodes and follow the series as we examine communication, leadership and decision-making when the stakes are high - and time is short
About the host
Wynna Brown is the founder of Adriane Brown Group, a Canadian consultancy specializing in emergency communications, crisis and issues management, and stakeholder engagement. She has more than 20 years of experience working with governments and public institutions, including leadership roles in municipal government during complex and high-profile situations.
Episode 1 introduces the Under Pressure series and explores what happens when communications, politics and operations collide in real time. Wynna Brown explains why public institutions often struggle to communicate clearly during crises and emergencies, and how decision-making under pressure shapes public perception, trust and outcomes.
Episode 2 examines why decisions that make sense internally can fail publicly. The episode explores the tension between operational realities and public expectations, the role of timing and process in communication, and common mistakes organizations make when navigating high-stakes situations.
In episode 3 of Under Pressure, Wynna Brown examines one of the most common challenges in emergency and crisis communications: The approval problem. Why does it take so long to get information out when speed matters most? And what happens when organizations try to operate under both their normal hierarchy and an incident management structure at the same time?
The themes explored in Under Pressure reflect the real challenges organizations face during emergencies, crises and high-stakes public situations. Adriane Brown Group works with governments, Indigenous communities and public-sector organizations across Canada to strengthen readiness, leadership confidence and communication effectiveness.
Under pressure is designed for communicators, emergency managers, elected officials and public leaders operating in complex environments. Episodes draw on real-world experience from municipal government, emergency management and high-stakes public-sector decision-making in Canada.
Topics include:
• Emergency and crisis communications
• Media relations and issues management
• Leadership during uncertainty
• Policy and operational realities
• Public trust and scrutiny