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SPEAKING TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES (G025)

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WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

The spokesperson is a key intermediary between an organization and its environment. He or she transmits its key messages and information and presents its "public face". The spokesperson represents an organization's personality and values and helps sustain and further its reputation. An effective spokesperson knows how to deal properly with a range of audiences - stakeholders, client groups, staff and media - in different settings - interviews, public meetings, consultations, announcements and other events. The knowledge and skills required to be an effective spokesperson can be developed and constitute an essential part of a communicator's professional toolkit. This workshop is designed for communicators and others in the public sector who either play a major role as a spokesperson for their organization and would like to hone or deepen their skills, or who act as a spokesperson/resource from time to time on specific topics and would like to become more comfortable in this role.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

The different types of spokesperson and their roles
The Government Communication Policy and spokespersons
The characteristics of the effective spokesperson
How to analyse and prepare for different audiences and situations
How to develop a strategy for each time you act as a spokesperson
How to deal with difficult situations
How to structure what you say and how you say it
Understanding the difference between facts, messages and information

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

Workbook and checklists, how-to procedures/reminders and templates
Exercise hand-outs

Agenda Day 1
8:45– 8:50 AM	Participant Introductions and Workshop Overview
8:50 - 10:15 AM	“The Complete Spokesperson” Speaking for spokespersons for an organization, unit, policy or program, issue; generalist; specialist/technical. Government of Canada Communications Policy on Spokespersons. Characteristics of the effective spokesperson. Speaking to and understanding the needs of different audiences in different settings media, stakeholders, clients, the public; consultation events with various groups and intervenors, community groups.
10:15 - 10:30 AM	Break
10:30 - 11:30 AM	Preparation and Positioning Audience, setting and situational analysis and strategy development. Who are the audience? What do they want/need? What do we want to tell them and what results do we want to achieve? What is the situation or circumstance - Routine? Good news? Bad news? Controversial? How much can I say? Differences between messages, facts and information. Linkages to overall communications strategies. The place of examples and the role of visual aids and supporting materials in different settings.
11:30–12:30 PM	Exercise Based on a scenario, participants will be given ten minutes to prepare and then deliver a two minute statement to an audience in a given situation/setting and answer questions for three minutes. Each participant will be taped.
12:15 - 1:30 PM	Lunch
1:30 - 2:45 PM	Discussion, Lessons Learned and Developing/Maintaining Credibility Tapes from the exercise will be played and analysed by instructors and participants to develop lessons learned - particularly in such areas as structuring a statement and transmitting messages, dealing with questions, body language, overcoming nervousness - and to act as a springboard for identification of the elements involved in developing and maintaining credibility as a spokesperson.
2:45 - 3:00 PM	Break
3:00 - 4:15 PM	Opportunities, Pitfalls and Crises A former spokesperson for a federal minister will discuss the spokesperson’s role in various situations and present lessons learned.
4:15 - 4:30 PM	Feedback

Agenda Day 2
8:50 – 10:15 AM	Speaking to the Media Different media settings and requirements - interview - scheduled and spontaneous; radio, television and print. Effectively meeting media needs. Developing and executing an interview strategy. When media cover an event.
10:15 - 10:30 AM	Break
10:30 - 12:00 AM	Exercise Each participant will do a taped, stand-up television interview based on an event scenario, for example, a public consultation meeting, and a specific issue or topic. Each interview will be discussed and analyzed by participants and instructors to develop lessons learned.
12:00 – 1:00 PM	Lunch
1:00 - 2:30 PM	Speaking to the Staff The requirements of and issues around being a spokesperson internally. Each participant will be given a scenario and ten minutes to prepare for an announcement to a meeting of employees of an organization. The announcement will be followed by three minutes of “questions from employees”. Each participant will be taped and the announcement and the question session discussed and analyzed by participants and instructors to develop lessons learned.
2:30 - 2:45 PM	Break
2:45 - 4:15 PM	Speaking to the Contentious Public Meeting The requirements of acting like a spokesperson at the difficult public meeting. Preparation and strategy. Each participant will be given a scenario and ten minutes to prepare for an announcement to a public meeting expected to be contentious. The announcement will be followed by three minutes of "questions from the floor". Each participant will be taped and the announcement and question sessions discussed and analyzed by participants and instructors to develop lessons learned.
4:15 - 4:30 PM	Wrap-up and Workshop Evaluation

Instructors

Josef Jurkovic

Josef Jurkovic is a CEC director and President of Paradigm Communications with extensive experience as a strategic communications, marketing and international public affairs specialist.

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Stephen Goban

A CEC director, and principal of SBG & Associates, Mr. Goban has undertaken marketing and strategic communications for companies, associations and government departments.

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