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CommunicationsPlanner

Offered by ICOR as part of theCrisis Management &

Communications ProfessionalDevelopment Program

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Course Description:An organization in crisis faces many grave threats. Employees can be in physical danger. Buildings can fall. Customers can be lost. But the most serious threat is and always will be the threat to the organization’s most important asset – its reputation.

To protect the organization from reputational threats requires careful, thoughtful, detailed planning and a methodology for inculcating a culture of organizational crisis preparedness,

In this two-day seminar, you will learn how to prepare the organization for in-evitable threats to reputation, execute the crisis communications plan, then, when the crisis has passed, assess and do what must be done before the next threats occur.

This is a two-day, 16-hour class, divided between lecture and practical exercise. We’ll examine: •Theroleofthecrisiscommunicationsplanaspartofthebusiness continuity program•Definitionsof“crisis”•Thetentypesofcrisisscenarios•Identifycrisisleadershipqualitiesandtheeffectsofstress•Thevalueofpreservinganorganization’sreputation•Howreputationsarestrengthenedandweakened•Howinstinctservesyoupoorlyinacommunicationscrisis.•Crisiscommunicationsdo’sanddon’ts•Crisiscommunicationsstrategies•Theroleof“change”inanorganization•Basicstrategiesofinternalcommunications•Theimportanceofmediatrainingforaspokesperson•Howtoconstructastrongmessage•TherolesoftheCrisisManagementTeam&CrisisCommunicationsTeam•Basicaudiencesandbasicmeansofcommunication•Theroleandcapabilitiesofthespokesperson•Essentialelementsthatshouldbeincludedinacrisiscommunicationsplan.•Whattodoandwhattoavoidwhenrespondingtoacrisisevent.•Howtoassesscommunicationsperformancebefore,duringandafter a communications crisis.

CredentialingParticipants will be evaluated on their participation in the class exercises as well as graded formally on a case study short answer evaluation the last day of class. Suc-cessful completion of the course results in an ANSI accredited certificate in crisis communicationsplanning.IfseekingICORcertification,thiscoursecanbeusedtosupport certification in the discipline of crisis management and communications.

For more information about ICOR’s courses, go to www.theicor.org/courses.html or call 866.SOLVE21 (765.8321)

Course OutlineCrisis basicsThe class will begin with a discussion of how crisis communications fits within an organization’s business continuity program. Then we’ll examine how the concept of crisis,whichisreallyaeuphemismfor“severechange,”affectsanorganization.We’lldefinecrisis,learntodistinguishacrisisfromadisaster,thendiscussinsomedetail the ten basic crisis scenarios. To understand crisis communications, one must understandhowinstinctservesyoupoorlyinacommunicationscrisis(HINT-instinctservesuspoorly).Thenwe’lllookatcrisiscommunicationsdo’sanddon’ts,followedbythethinkingbehindcrisiscommunicationsstrategies.Changedoesn’thavetobeavillain,justamisunderstoodactivity.Wewillworktounderstandtheroleof“change”in an organization, then apply that to forming the basic strategies of internal communications. Then we’ll examine crisis leadership qualities and the effects of stress – how it can exacerbate any crisis.

ReputationThe concept of reputation and its vulnerabilities is essential to crisis communications planning.We’llexaminethevalueofpreservinganorganization’sreputationthenexaminehowreputationsarestrengthenedandweakened.

The spokesperson’s role in a crisisThespokespersonisthepersonwhorunsintothe“burningbuilding”aseveryoneelseis running out. To manage that person, you must first understand the importance of mediatrainingforaspokespersonasyoulearntheattributesofaspokesperson

Message developmentDeveloping the right message for the right audience at the right time is as much an artasascience.We’llprepareyouforthesciencepart.Inthepracticalexercises,you’ll develop the art. You’ll learn how to construct strong, common-sense, provable messages that you can deliver and defend.

The Crisis Communications TeamThe Crisis Communications Team executes the plan, but the members are often unwilling,untrainedorotherwiseunpreparedtoaccomplishtheirvitaltasks.We’lldiscuss the membership of the team and the individual roles of each member.

Writing the Crisis Communications PlanThe second day of the class will be spent on the details of construction of a crisis communicationsplan.We’lllisttheessentialelementsthatshouldbeincludedinacrisiscommunicationsplanandshowyouthespecificquestionsyoumustaskanddocumentsyoumustexaminetoconstructaplan.Wewillidentifyingreatdetailwhat to do and what to avoid when responding to a crisis event. Then we will prepare a sample crisis communications plan, either for the student’s organization or a course simulation. Lastly, we will discuss how to assess communications performance before, during and after a communications crisis.

TakeawaysStudentswilltakeawayadetailed,first-rate,fill-in-the-blankscrisiscommunicationsplanandtheknowledgetofillblanks.Theywillalsobegivenadetailedchecklistforevaluating communications performance in a crisis.

For more information about ICOR’s courses, go to www.theicor.org/courses.html or call 866.SOLVE21 (765.8321)

www.theicor.org866.SOLVE21 (765.8321)

Foresight PR is a full-service public relations firm that helps clients build and maintain reputations, ease change, inform and educate, prevent disorder, sell products and ideas, retain and attract employees, slow rumors and promote truth.

Foresight PR’s specialty is the prevention of communications crises, or, if called in with the bases loaded and nobody out, a minimization of reputational harm.

www.foresightpr.com

For more information aboutICOR’s courses, go to

www.theicor.org/courseware.htmlor call 866.SOLVE21 (765.8321)