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BEST PRACTICES IN CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS (G006)

Workshops > Government > Complete List > Crisis Communications

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

There will be a crisis! If you choose to work in communications then eventually you will have to communicate about a real crisis situation. And for everyone involved, especially you, it will be a frustrating, perplexing and confusing experience.

In a crisis, you can expect to be deluged by the media, politicians, special interest groups and even your colleagues. Also, you will be expected to come up with an immediate, accurate, compassionate and believable communications plan just as the media and public are beginning to descend upon you. However, through forward planning, being adequately prepared and understanding the essentials of crisis communications you will be able to successfully undertake crisis communications for your organization.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

This workshop is designed to tune-up and strengthen crisis communications knowledge and skills. It focuses on:

Better forecasting and crisis warning signs
Differentiating between a real crisis and an emergency or a tragedy
Implementing a crisis communications audit and learning about "crisis theming©"
Understanding, managing and dealing with a crisis
Providing the right communications advice at the right time
Responding to the media during a crisis
Using the Internet for crisis communications
Developing a crisis communications strategy and action plan

Agenda
8:45 - 8:50 AM	Participant Introductions and Workshop Overview
8:50 - 9:30 AM	What is a Crisis? Determining the real parameters of a crisis and differentiating crises from other situations.
9:30 - 10:00 AM	The Management Principles of Crisis Communications Fitting a crisis situation into an organization's strategic communications paradigm; establishing the structures and practices necessary for dealing with a crisis.
10:00 - 10:30 AM	Responding to a Crisis The crucial importance of the initial response; what the spokesperson should and should not say; the fundamentals of information disclosure, messaging and "language" during a crisis.
10:30 - 10:45 AM	Break
10:45 - 11:30 AM	Preparing a Crisis Communications Strategy and Action Plan The essential components of a crisis communications strategy; being strategic when time is short; incorporating results-based communications into crisis communications planning.
11:30 - 12:30 PM	Exercise Participants will outline the key points to be included in an initial response to a crisis scenario. Report back by small groups and discussion period.
12:30 - 1:30 PM	Lunch
1:30 - 2:30 PM	Working with the Media During a Crisis How the media functions during a crisis; understanding the telltale signs of impending trouble with the media; the essentials of managing the media during a crisis.
2:30 - 3:00 PM	Managing a Crisis in Cyberspace Understanding and successfully managing a crisis on the Internet; using the Internet as a communications tool during a crisis.
3:00 - 3:15 PM	Break
3:15 - 3:30 PM	Case Study Exercise Participants will develop the key elements of a crisis communications strategy and action plan in response to a scenario. Report back by small groups and discussion period.
4:15 - 4:30 PM	Wrap-up and Evaluation

Instructor

David Kardish

David Kardish, APR, is President of the CEC and has over twenty years of experience working in all aspects of communications in Canada and the United Kingdom.

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