Crisis Communication Management

Crisis Communication Management

OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Establish your organization’s readiness for crisis communication activities to mitigate reputational damage
• Lead the process of creating a crisis strategy
• Conduct a reputational risk assessment and issues mapping process
• Set up crisis and issues monitoring systems
• Create crisis communication systems, teams, protocols, resources and plans using straightforward templates and international best practice
• Apply practical crisis management tools and ideas to your job

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This course designed for learners with existing knowledge and several years of experience in communications or PR. Learning is pitched at a level to help you develop strategic approaches and apply sophisticated techniques. This course is recommended for anyone who may be involved in managing the communications response to a crisis affecting their organization, either behind the scenes or as a spokesperson.

COURSE OUTLINE

Crisis communication strategy

• Crisis communication strategy best practice
• Principles of reputation management
• Crisis dynamics: lessons for how crises originate and develop
• Stages of crisis communication
• Case studies: examples and consequences of strong and weak crisis communication in practice
• Key ingredients and approaches to formulating a crisis communication strategy

Crisis radar: risk assessment and issues mapping

• Understanding potential origins of reputational crisis
• Techniques to identify and priorities likely sources of crisis
• How to conduct a reputation flashpoint audit
• How to we set up early warning systems
• Best practice on issues mapping and risk assessment
• Practical tools to map and priorities reputational issues

Crisis systems, teams and protocols

• Who does what in a crisis?
• How should we define teams and roles?
• Integrating communications with other departments in a crisis
• Crisis escalation protocols
• Securing internal commitment and engagement
• Coordination with top management and other departments
• Crisis communication response systems and protocols best practice
• Topical case studies showing effective approaches to crisis communication

Crisis communication resources and planning

• Drafting a “Red book” (comprehensive crisis manual)
• Creating a “Dark site” (a crisis website prepared in advance ready to go live at short notice)
• Proforma messages and holding statements
• Physical resources