high-stakes communication speaker
About
Scott Tillema
Scott has spent his career figuring out what moves people.
Sometimes, that meant getting on the phone in the middle of a life-or-death crisis. Today, it means stepping onto a stage. Across 20 years in law enforcement, advanced study in psychology and negotiation, and a global speaking career, Scott has built his life’s work around understanding how people communicate, connect, and influence when it matters most.
20+
Years in Law Enforcement
70+
Communities Served Through Regional SWAT
4
Continents
Spoken On
1.3M+
TED x Talk
Views
2
Major Speaking Awards
The stakes may change. Human behavior doesn’t.
A five-hour standoff and a five-minute feedback conversation may look nothing alike.
But the fundamentals of human behavior remain the same: listen, show respect, create connection, and understand what’s driving the person on the other side.
Scott didn’t set out to become a professional speaker.
He spent 20 years in law enforcement, rising to become a lead negotiator on one of the country’s largest SWAT teams. The work gave him a front-row seat to human behavior under pressure and fueled a deeper interest in why people listen, decide, connect, and respond the way they do.
Along the way, Scott earned degrees in behavioral science and forensic psychology and trained in negotiation with the FBI and at Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation. Then, an invitation to give a TEDx Talk introduced an unexpected opportunity: taking lessons learned in extraordinary circumstances and making them useful in the conversations people navigate every day.
Today, Scott brings those lessons to audiences around the world
As a prolific trainer and speaker, Scott has spoken to audiences of all professions and providing training at companies and organizations such as Microsoft, GE Healthcare, Citi, Bosch, the FBI, and beyond.
He’s known for translating decades of high-stakes negotiation into practical tools for the difficult conversations, decisions, and relationships people navigate every day, and for helping organizations and their people communicate at the top of their game.
Where do you want to take the conversation?
SPEAKING
Bring Scott’s high-stakes experience to your next stage with an unforgettable keynote built around the people in the room.
TRAINING
Go deeper with half- and full-day experiences focused on communication, connection, conflict resolution, and leadership.
MEETING PLANNERS
Find Scott’s media kit, headshots, tech requirements, and everything you need to make planning easy.
More ways to hear from Scott
See Scott’s media features, interviews, and talks.
Scott’s
TED Talk
Scott for
SHRM Florida
Scott on The Persuasion Occasion Podcast
Scott in Newsweek
Scott on the Honest HR Podcast
Put Scott’s experience to work for your people.
Bring Scott’s decades of experience in human behavior, negotiation, and communication to your organization.