Cost:  Members $3200 + VAT , Future Members $3500 + VAT
Location: Energy Chamber Learning Centre
Date: November 2nd 2016
Facilitators: Sheldon Daniel and Donna Ramsammy

 

Getting it right from the start: Learning to handle a crisis

A crisis is understood as a sudden, unexpected event with unpredictable and undefined impacts and consequences that together can threaten the enduring viability of the organization with potential long term adverse impact on its relationships with its key stakeholders.  

Crisis Communication Immersion Training

This course is designed to allow participants to be immersed in a crisis. Real life scenarios are planned and the trainers lead participants through each situation of how to communicate during each stage of the crisis. 

Participants are exposed to role playing interviews and are filmed during the process for feedback from peers and the trainers.

Course delivery

  • There will be a maximum of 12 persons per course to allow for a more in-depth and interactive class environment;
  • Real time development of crisis scenarios for real time application and learnings;
  • An "on-camera" session for feedback to enhance personal effectiveness in public and media interaction.
  • The course will be facilitated by two highly experienced energy sector practitioners with over 35 years combined experience in communication and reputation management in both local and international settings.
  • Donna Ramsammy and Sheldon Daniel have worked with a number of companies locally, regionally and internationally, including blue-chip majors.

Context

Even the best-run companies have unexpected events that create a crisis for the organisation.  Loss of reputation, customer loyalty or trust of products or severe financial penalties can all occur as a result of a crisis leading to a significant loss of business value.  In the energy sector, crisis management should move up on the agenda of our local firms where high-risk activities occur as a matter of course with attendant consequences to continued license to operate (LTO) locally and to global reputation. 

  • Is your company well prepared to respond adequately in times of crisis in a way that minimizes adverse impacts to the firm’s profitability, viability and reputation? 
  • Are you confident that you and the organisation can 'weather the storm" of a crisis in the modern age of social media?
  • Can you manage an interview with the media in response to a crisis?
  • Do you have a structured incident response process that you table-top test on a regular basis?
  • Are you identifying risks to proactively prevent the next crisis?

In summary do you know what to do when a crisis hits?

Is this course for you?

You should participate in this course to grasp:

  • How to schedule activities to do ahead of a crisis - i.e. preparing for a crisis.
  • How to craft the narrative with an understanding the public perception of your business
  • How to speak with 'one voice' - building consistency
  • How to create powerful and purposeful messaging
  • How the local media functions. Understand the local media environment
  • How to develop meaningful and productive relationships with media in a Caribbean context.
  • How to recover after a crisis

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Develop an understanding of the theory and practices of effective crisis communication;
  • Craft an effective crisis management plan that focuses on the pre-crisis, in-crisis and post crisis actions that need to be taken as a response to crisis;
  • Learn how to handle the acute phase of a crisis and deal - under pressure - with the multiple issues to be handled as the event unfolds
  • Understand and develop compelling strategic messaging for all channels of distribution in both traditional and social media;
  • Engage and effectively communicate with the media during times of crisis;
  • Undergo a table-top crisis simulation with an emphasis on transferring learning to your company.  

Who should attend?

  • Communications and public relations professionals who are responsible for managing crisis communications;
  • Persons designated as spokespersons for their organisation in time of crisis;
  • Members of the crisis management teams in your organisations;
  • Leaders in organisations who need to have a broad introduction to the basic elements and issues involved in crisis management.