Communication Risk Management and Crisis Preparedness

Course overview

A careless statement, a leaked document, a viral video or a poorly handled complaint can turn into a full-blown crisis within hours. Many of these situations are foreseeable, but organisations rarely assess communication risks systematically. This communication risk management course teaches communicators and managers to identify, assess and reduce communication risks before they escalate, and to respond well when they do.

The first week covers the risk process: identifying communication risks across media, digital, internal and stakeholder channels, assessing likelihood and impact, analysing stakeholder sensitivities, and designing mitigation and contingency plans. The second week focuses on preparedness and response: monitoring and early warning, crisis communication plans, spokesperson readiness, governance and approvals, data in risk monitoring, ethical risk communication, and recovery and reputation repair. Participants build a communication risk register and a crisis communication plan, then test them in a multi-stage crisis simulation.

Participants leave able to manage communication risks proactively and to lead a prepared, credible response when a crisis hits.

What you will be able to do

• Identify communication risks across channels and stakeholders
• Assess the likelihood and impact of communication risks
• Design mitigation and contingency plans
• Set up monitoring and early warning systems
• Prepare crisis communication plans and governance
• Prepare spokespeople for high-pressure situations
• Communicate ethically about risk
• Lead recovery and reputation repair

Who should attend

For communication, PR, risk and senior managers responsible for protecting their organisation's reputation and responding to crises.

• Communication and PR managers
• Risk managers
• Corporate affairs officers
• Senior managers and spokespeople
• Customer experience managers
• Public sector communication officers

Course outline

Week 1

Week 2

Fees are per participant in US dollars and cover tuition, course materials and your certificate. Travel and accommodation are not included.