Strategic Strikes: Mastering Your Communications in the Cage Match of Public Opinion

5 Star Review

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Editorial Book Review:

By SM Harrison

Most books about communication promise control. Strategic Strikes promises awareness, and that difference matters. Patrick Riccards approaches public opinion not as something to manage safely, but as a live arena where instinct, timing, and credibility decide the outcome. From the opening pages, the book feels grounded in experience rather than theory, and that immediacy sets it apart.

Reading it feels energizing and occasionally confrontational. Riccards does not comfort the reader with tidy formulas. Instead, he challenges assumptions about messaging, media, and persuasion. The experience sharpens attention. You begin to notice how often communication fails not because of poor wording, but because of poor awareness of the audience and the moment. The book engages intellectually by forcing readers to rethink habits they may have relied on for years.

The main idea is that public opinion is always changing and doesn't forgive mistakes. Riccards looks at power, perception, bias, and consequence. He says that communication is more about accuracy than perfection. These concepts transcend the realm of public relations. Anyone navigating leadership, advocacy, or high visibility work will recognize the tension between intention and impact that runs through the book.

The writing style is straightforward, concise, and purposeful. Riccards is careful with the cage match metaphor; he only uses it when it makes a point stronger and not too strong. The structure moves quickly and with a purpose, and each chapter teaches a clear lesson before moving on. The ideas in the book are based on real-life situations, which makes it feel real. Readers remember lines that stress hitting with purpose instead of noise, especially when he reminds them that silence can be just as useful as speech.

Memorable moments include discussions of how narratives harden quickly in public spaces and why reacting too fast can be as damaging as staying quiet too long. By the end, the book leaves a clear impression. Strategic Strikes is not about winning every exchange. It is about understanding the fight before you enter it. For anyone serious about influence in a noisy world, this book offers clarity that lasts beyond the final page.

About the Author 

Patrick Riccards

Dr. Patrick Riccards is a veteran strategic communications and public engagement expert and award-winning author with three decades experience advising Fortune 500 firms, federal agencies, and nonprofit organization. He has worked across three presidential administrations and helped shape strategy and communications for the majority of federal Cabinet agencies, including Education, Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Defense.

A frequent speaker and media commentator, Pat is the CEO of the Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement. His accolades include honors from PR News, Bulldog Report, and IATOP, recognizing his leadership in both public affairs and nonprofit advocacy.

He has authored two and edited two other acclaimed books and holds a doctorate from the University of Southern California, as well as an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia.

Pat lives in Worcester, Massachusetts with his wife, Jennifer, and children, Michael and Anna.