Incident & Crisis Response Communication Skills

INTRODUCTION

This training will provide the key steps every organization must take to avoid being irreparably damaged by a crisis. Packed with practical advice, useful materials and case studies, participants will learn how communication and operational response together are integral to an effective incident response and protecting reputation.

Every sensible organization recognizes the risks they face and that disaster could potentially strike at any time. The learning contained within this training might make the difference between demonstrating strength and resilience to your stakeholders or humiliating public failure. This training seminar takes a systematic approach to all the learning necessary to pre-empt crises and respond to major incidents should one occur.

The media can be very unforgiving Organizations who they perceive to have made mistakes and effective communication when under the media spotlight will be vital to coming through unscathed. This training provides the skills and confidence to understand the communication environment and what you must do in order to succeed when disaster strikes.

This LAKESHORE ISL seminar on Incident & Crisis Response Communication Skills will highlight:

• An awareness of the media and communication environment at the time of a crisis
• The available media platforms and practical guidance on how to use them
• How communication is integral to effective operational response
• How to create an incident communications plan alongside a range of useful planning tools
• Practical skills for media communication and supporting case studies

OBJECTIVES

• Develop practical skills enabling effective communication at the time of an incident
• Familiarize students with both techniques & technologies involved in crisis communication
• Provide a health-check for your personal & organizational readiness
• Provide the confidence to know that your response strategies are appropriate and effective
• Build relevant knowledge through exploring relevant case studies and practical exercises
• Develop flexible creative and well-motivated teams

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

This training program is activity and discussion based. Formal presentations will be balanced by a range of case-studies, practice problems and group discussions. Sharing the experience of the participants is an important feature and delegates will have the opportunity to discuss their own projects or challenges in an environment focusing on solving those problems.

This training consists of five stand-alone modules all based around common themes containing lecture content, skill assessments, participative discussions, video presentations and delegate exercises in order to create high impact training. This training course is designed to be dynamic and highly interactive as well as educational. The primary focus is to provide delegates with concepts and methods which they can put to immediate use in the workplace.

ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT

This training demonstrates how:

• More effective employees at the time of an incident in that maximum effect can be achieved by employees understanding how different forms of mass media work and how they can be applied in a crisis environment
• Strengthened employee focus on actions and achievement around reputation management
• Improved organizational communications through demonstrating how Public Relations involvement improves outcomes in risk management
• Enhanced employee leadership skills in that Staff at all levels will have a clear ethical and managerial framework to operate to during a time of uncertainty and disruption, helping ensure business continuity
• Increased levels of confidence and motivation across an organization knowing that business effectiveness can be enhanced through prior planning and preparation in times of crisis

PERSONAL IMPACT

This training course teaches the competencies that enable leaders to:

• To develop a more effective approach to crisis communication in the workplace with a sharper focus on valuable goals
• Select and use the best tools to add value to the organization at a strategic level during a time of crisis
• Develop personal action planning and understand how to manage during a time of severe disruption to normal operations
• To remain calm and consistent in their communications during a crisis using enhanced leadership skills
• To develop confidence and flexibility in communication
• To build confidence and mastery through personal coaching and advice providing increased ability to achieve success

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This training programme has been designed for PR practitioners and for senior professionals such as team leaders or technical specialists elsewhere in the organization who may be involved in the handling of crises, responsible for the management of public reputation and the rebuilding of business capacity after a serious incident or issue has hit.

This training is also relevant to anyone likely to have responsibility for the delivery of public relations and communication activities during a time of crisis for the organization;

• Management team tasked with the direct delivery of internal and external communication activities or oversight of specialist sub-contractors with this responsibility in a time of crisis
• Senior operations personnel with responsibility for managing teams whose role includes public relations and or internal communication during a time of crisis
• Those holding responsibility for the strategic use of Public Relations and with responsibilities for business resilience

SEMINAR OUTLINE

Day 1

Orientating to Communication at The Time of a Crisis or Incident

• Key Principles of Crisis Communication and Incident Response
• An Overview of the Scope & Role of Public Relations
• Key Underpinning Concepts in PR
• What Makes a Crisis?
• The Importance of Reputation Management
• An Exploration of Stakeholders – Who Want to Know What Is Going On and Why You Must Communicate
• The Ethical Framework for Communication

Day 2 

Creating a Crisis or Incident Plan

• What is Crisis Management?
• Why do you need a plan and what should be in it?
• The Planning Process & Vulnerability Audit
• Alerting Procedures
• Response Structures – A look at putting together the necessary systems, teams and facilities to meet the threat
• Exercise High Roller
• The 20 Most Common Mistakes in Crisis Management – Why do you need a plan?

Day 3 

Media Management

• Media – friend or foe? A Journalistic Perspective
• What is News? Who are Journalists & What do they want?
• Media Management Strategies
• Media Relations
• Managing Stress
• Managing Filming and Photography
• Organising a Media Centre & Press Conference
• Leadership and The Role of  A Leader

Day 4 

Communication Formats & Strategies (Includes Practical Exercises)

• Linking Timelines and Strategies in Communication
• News Releases, Holding Statements and News Statements
• Media Briefings and Media Interviews
• Media Interviews Exercise
• Other Media Environments

Day 5 

Social Media & Crisis Communication

• Orientation to Digital & Social Media
• Citizen Journalists
• Social Media & Crises
• Case Studies
• Ethical Issues with Social Media
• Final Exercise