8.30am | Introduction by Paul Griffin and outline of the days proceedings |
8.35am | The Nature of a Crisis Participants are introduced to the following concepts: Identifying an organisationīs exposure to possible crises and issues Identifying potential damage to reputation, brands, products, profitability, credibility, popularity, trust, employee/consumer/shareholder relations Typical crisis warning signs The escalating steps of a crisis Defining the problem, setting the priorities |
9.00am | Developing a Crisis Communications Plan Participants are taken through the following planning elements: Keeping the plan simple and easy to use The media spokesperson policy Identifying the crisis team / call out procedures Likely scenario development Identifying target audiences Key media message development Media/Public Affairs contact list development Compiling action checklists Testing the plan / mock crisis scenario training |
9.45am | Training Crisis Scenario Trainees are now given the broad outline of a fictitious but realistic crisis scenario especially crafted to represent circumstances that could quite conceivably occur in their real life occupations tomorrow. This scenario will form the basis of the second part of their crisis communications training program. A group discussion now takes place to identify those planning elements from the previous subject unit that need to be addressed to effectively manage this fictitious crisis scenario. Morning tea is taken while the group discussion continues. |
10.15am | Dealing with the News Media during a Crisis An examination and group discussion of the following media elements: Local media culture International media culture Delivering key media messages Tips for the successful media interview Journalistsī favourite difficult questions Body language, dress and presentation How to survive a press conference The components of credibility The press release The media information kit |
11.00am | Crisis Communication Resources Preventing the crisis from becoming a nightmare Issuing statements by fax, phone, email, web page, hot line Managing heavy telephone traffic in a crisis Communication technical resources Communication human resources The crisis control room layout and setup |
11.30am | The Dynamics of Crisis Communication An examination of the emotional forces that cause people to react in the subjective way they often do to bad news and the techniques media spokespersons can use to win their confidence and trust during a crisis situation |
12.00pm | Case Histories An analysis and group discussion of some successful and unsuccessful attempts at managing real life communications during crises such as environmental catastrophe, natural disaster, man-made disaster, product tampering, scandal, organisational change / downsizing / merger |
12.30pm | LUNCH The post luncheon part of this training program focuses on enhancing the hands-on media and public affairs communication skills of the participants during a hypothetical escalating crisis. Realistic simulations of telephone calls, wire stories, radio and TV news reports, emails and faxes are used to set the initial scene, present the problem, gradually escalate the scale and pressure of the crisis on participants while introducing further complicating and difficult elements to the scenario. Participants respond by developing a plan for managing the crisis and adapting it as new challenges unfold. As the crisis further escalates participants focus on the need to effectively communicate with a wide range of audiences including local and international media, environmentalists, business interests, government agencies and other public affairs targets. |
1.00pm | The Crisis Begins. Participants receive a media wire service report of a major oil spill resulting from a night time collision between two large shipping tankers. The report details the formation of a huge oil slick inside the harbour that has fouled the adjacent coastline causing serious damage to the environment, wildlife and port loading facilities. Participants are requested to immediately formulate their public response strategy and release a media statement. Almost immediately, telephones begin to ring continually with callers from local and international media organisations, shipping interests, environmental groups, emergency services providers, the military, government agencies, waterfront property owners and others overloading, distracting and pressuring the participants with endless requests for information, public comment and action. Emails and faxes are also constantly received requesting information and giving information. The crisis takes a turn for the worse when officials advise that the harbour has now been closed to all shipping until further notice. Meanwhile, participants are receiving numerous requests for radio, print and wire service media interviews over the telephone and in person. |
1.30pm | First TV Interview. Reporter Paul Griffin arrives on the scene with news camera crew and requests individual stand-up interviews with each participant. These interviews are video taped for later analysis |
2.00pm | First News Media Conference. If the participants have not already elected to do so they are now requested to hold an all-in news media conference to explain their approach to the resolution of the crisis. The media conference is videotaped for later evaluation. |
3.00pm | Group Debrief and Coaching. Participants now temporarily stand down from role-playing the crisis scenario to review the results of their efforts so far with the trainer. Videotapes of the individual interviews and media conference are examined, analysed and critiqued. The composition of the media release is also assessed. Participants are coached and tutored by the trainer in more effective ways of responding to media questioning and key message delivery. Effectiveness of the participantīs telephone interviews and other forms of communications is also evaluated and discussed. |
3.30pm | Second TV Interview. The role-play resumes and all participants now record another individual and more in-depth and challenging TV interview on their management of the crisis so far with reporter Paul Griffin for later play back and analysis in the final debriefing session. Simultaneously, other participants prepare a second media release based on new police information regarding two emergency workers killed and three seriously injured aboard one of the tankers while trying to stop the oil leak. |
4.00pm | The Ambush. Unannounced and uninvited, a TV news reporter and crew now walks into the crisis control center with lights blazing and camera rolling and starts interviewing the unprepared and flustered participants on the spot. Results are video taped for later evaluation |
4.30pm | Second Media Conference. Participants now build on the experiences learnt in the first media conference by holding a second one to update news reporters on the progress of the oil spill crisis situation. Angry conservationists shouting slogans at the participants disrupt the news conference. Again the media conference is videotaped for later evaluation. |
5.00pm | Second Group Debrief and Coaching. Participants now stand down to review their final results. Videotapes of the individual TV interviews, the ambush interviews and the second media conference are reviewed and analysed. The composition of the second media release is also reviewed. Participants are again coached by the trainer in more effective ways of responding to media questioning and proactively delivering their key media messages. Responses to the telephone interviews are also evaluated
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5.30pm | Recap of Main Points Completion by participants of course evaluation questionnaires Individual videotapes distributed to participants for further evaluation and perusal Conclusion |
