Course Details

Crisis Management Fundamentals Training Course

Introduction

In an era of rapid information dissemination and heightened public scrutiny, organizational crises can erupt suddenly, escalate quickly, and inflict severe damage to reputation, trust, and financial stability. Our intensive 10-day "Crisis Management Fundamentals" training course is meticulously designed to equip professionals with the essential knowledge, strategies, and practical skills needed to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from a wide spectrum of organizational crises. This program moves beyond reactive measures, focusing on proactive planning, decisive leadership, and strategic communication to navigate turbulent situations, protect stakeholder interests, and emerge stronger from adversity.

This comprehensive course will guide you through the entire crisis management lifecycle, from identifying potential crisis triggers and establishing a robust crisis management framework to executing effective response plans and managing post-crisis recovery. Participants will learn how to lead under pressure, make critical decisions, communicate transparently and effectively, and safeguard their organization's reputation in times of extreme challenge. By the end of this training, you will possess a foundational understanding of crisis management, empowering you to contribute significantly to your organization's resilience and ability to preserve its value when faced with the unexpected.

Duration

10 Days

Target Audience

The "Crisis Management Fundamentals" training course is essential for a broad range of professionals who may be involved in or affected by organizational crises, and who need a foundational understanding of effective crisis management. This includes:

• Managers and Team Leaders: Across all departments, as crises can originate anywhere and require cross-functional response.
• Public Relations and Communications Professionals: Directly involved in managing external and internal crisis messaging.
• Risk Management Professionals: Integrating crisis management into broader enterprise risk frameworks.
• Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planners: Ensuring seamless transition from crisis response to recovery.
• Human Resources Professionals: Managing employee well-being, internal communications, and staffing during a crisis.
• Legal Counsel: Advising on legal implications and liabilities during a crisis.
• Security Professionals: Managing physical and cybersecurity aspects of a crisis.
• Executives and Senior Leaders: Accountable for ultimate crisis decision-making and organizational reputation.
• Emergency Response Team Members: Those on the ground during incident escalation.
• Anyone interested in organizational resilience, reputation management, and strategic response to unexpected events.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the "Crisis Management Fundamentals" training course, participants will be able to:

• Define crisis management and understand its critical importance for organizational sustainability.
• Differentiate between an incident, a disaster, and a crisis, and understand their escalating impacts.
• Identify potential crisis scenarios relevant to their organization and industry.
• Understand the key phases of the crisis management lifecycle: pre-crisis, crisis response, and post-crisis.
• Formulate a foundational crisis management framework and establish a crisis management team.
• Develop effective internal and external crisis communication strategies and messaging.
• Understand the role of leadership, decision-making, and ethical considerations during a crisis.
• Familiarize themselves with basic media relations and social media management in a crisis.
• Learn about post-crisis recovery, evaluation, and organizational learning.
• Contribute effectively to their organization's crisis preparedness and response efforts.

Course Modules

Module 1: Understanding Crisis & Crisis Management

• Definition of a crisis and its characteristics (sudden, impactful, high uncertainty, urgency).
• Distinction between an incident, emergency, disaster, and crisis.
• The escalating nature of threats and their potential to become a crisis.
• Why effective crisis management is vital for organizational survival and reputation.
• The human element in a crisis: panic, stress, decision-making under pressure.

Module 2: The Crisis Management Lifecycle

• Overview of the three main phases: Pre-Crisis (preparedness & prevention).
• Crisis Response (activation & management).
• Post-Crisis (recovery & learning).
• Understanding the continuous nature of crisis management.
• Key activities and goals within each phase.

Module 3: Crisis Planning & Preparedness

• Identifying potential crisis scenarios through environmental scanning and risk assessment.
• Developing a crisis management framework: policy, strategy, and procedures.
• Establishing and structuring the Crisis Management Team (CMT): roles, responsibilities, reporting lines.
• Creating a crisis communication plan (internal and external).
• Developing basic crisis response protocols and checklists.

Module 4: Crisis Leadership & Decision Making

• Characteristics of effective crisis leadership: calm, decisive, empathetic.
• Decision-making under pressure: information overload, uncertainty, time constraints.
• Ethical considerations and maintaining integrity during a crisis.
• Fostering collaboration and coordination within the CMT.
• Maintaining situational awareness and information flow.

Module 5: Crisis Communication Fundamentals

• The critical role of communication in crisis management.
• Developing key messages: clear, consistent, compassionate, credible.
• Identifying target audiences and tailoring messages (employees, customers, media, regulators).
• Choosing appropriate communication channels during a crisis.
• The "golden hour" of crisis communication and initial response.

Module 6: Media Relations in a Crisis

• Understanding the role of traditional media (TV, radio, print) during a crisis.
• Preparing for media inquiries and developing media statements.
• Conducting effective media interviews: Do's and Don'ts.
• Establishing a designated spokesperson and providing media training.
• Monitoring media coverage and correcting misinformation.

Module 7: Social Media & Digital Crisis Management

• The unique challenges and opportunities of social media in a crisis.
• Monitoring social media for early warning signs and public sentiment.
• Developing a social media crisis response strategy.
• Engaging with online communities and addressing misinformation on digital platforms.
• Utilizing digital channels for rapid information dissemination.

Module 8: Crisis Response & Activation

• Recognizing crisis triggers and activating the Crisis Management Team.
• Initial actions during a crisis: assessment, containment, notification.
• Executing pre-defined response procedures and protocols.
• Resource allocation and coordination during the active phase of a crisis.
• Logistics and operational considerations during emergency response.

Module 9: Post-Crisis Recovery & Review

• Transitioning from crisis response to business recovery (link to BCM/DR).
• Assessing the immediate and long-term impacts of the crisis.
• Communicating recovery progress to stakeholders.
• Conducting a post-crisis review (lessons learned, what worked, what didn't).
• Implementing corrective actions and updating plans.

Module 10: Building a Resilient Culture & Future Trends

• Fostering an organizational culture of preparedness and resilience.
• The importance of regular training, drills, and simulations.
• Integration of crisis management with risk management and business continuity.
• Emerging trends in crisis management: AI, predictive analytics, cybersecurity threats.
• Maintaining stakeholder trust and rebuilding reputation after a crisis.

CERTIFICATION

• Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate

TRAINING VENUE

• Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.

AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION

• Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request

TERMS OF PAYMENT

• Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com