Crisis Management, Preparedness & Spokesperson Training

OnwardU will produce and facilitate a decision-making session with key individuals to address the company’s unique communications needs in an emergency or unplanned event.  At the end of the planning meeting, the company will have a working Emergency Response Communications Guide to augment the company’s operational response plan.

FULL DAY – recommended for those individuals most likely to be the primary designated spokespeople, be it for news coverage/interviews and/or during an unplanned event.

OnwardU will provide a one-day, intensive training session (for up to six (6) people) designed to help spokespeople understand how media work and the impact of their coverage. The training includes tips and tools to lead interviews to accomplish the coverage the company envisions and provides samples of good and poor interviews to deepen participant understanding of proper use of interview techniques. Participants will learn what role the spokesperson plays in an effective public relations effort to promote the company and to mitigate potential damage to the company’s reputation among important audiences.

Role-play interviews cover topical, realistic scenarios for each participant. Typically, one-on-one, trainer-trainee interviews include a radio, TV (which is actually videotaped and replayed for the individual during a “coaching session” at the end of the interview), magazine or trade publication, and newspaper (usually community and/or major metro daily). The TV and radio stories are read aloud (without naming the executive interviewed for the story) at the end of the day to help participants realize the importance of consistent company message.

GROUP HALF DAY – recommended for Subject Matter Experts, those who may be called on to support the primary spokespersons, and/or those who have had media interviews in the past who may need a refresher.

A senior OnwardU trainer will provide media training to a select group of executives, senior management and/or subject matter experts. This half-day training session will provide an understanding of the media, its mission, and the importance of meeting their deadlines. The participants will receive tips and tools to lead interviews; review samples of good and poor interviews from actual news coverage; and experience role-play scenarios by volunteers from the group to simulate realistic interview experiences. Participants will learn how media work, and what role the participants play in an effective public relations effort to promote the company and mitigate risk – even if that role is to effectively re-direct to a designated spokesperson.

ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS – Occasionally, companies request personalized media training for the CEO, a mission-critical subject matter expert or other spokesperson who is best trained in a private setting.

In these focused, one-on-one sessions, participants will begin by understanding the media and the impact of their coverage; learn tips and tools to lead interviews; and participate one-on-one role-play interviews (and critiques) with the reporter/trainer.

The workshop participant will learn how media really work, and what role they play in an effective effort to promote the company and mitigate potential damage to the company’s reputation and credibility among important audiences. Role-play interviews are carefully researched to develop topical and realistic scenarios for the individual being coached. Interviews can be videotaped and reviewed with the participant to identify areas for improvement and to suggest more effective ways to handle difficult situations.

LUNCH ‘N LEARN: Administrative personnel play a key role in supporting designated spokespeople, particularly during an unplanned event.

They must be trained to properly re-direct reporters in a timely fashion to the designated spokespeople in all areas including communications, legal, management, etc. This 2-hour group lunch ‘n learn teaches administrative personnel to effectively re-direct inquiries, avoid pitfalls of giving an unintended interview or unwittingly setting up managers for ambush interviews, and to know the do’s and don’ts supporting management who must respond to the issue.

GROUP HALF DAY:  Department heads, operations managers and technical experts greatly influence the quality of the response in an unplanned event. Often, these individuals will be the sole source for information on an issue, on technical matters, regulatory information, with community leaders, etc. They may also play a supporting role in gathering facts for the designated spokesperson.

In this half-day training session OnwardU will work with these Subject Matter Experts so they understand their impact on the outcome of the response and their role within the emergency response policies and procedures. Role plays with volunteers will heighten participants’ awareness of the impact of their communication styles, and improve the effectiveness of their communication to mitigate damage to the company’s response initiative and reputation.

GROUP HALF DAY: As first points of media contact at a job site, hospital, etc. during an incident, field supervisors or first responders must be trained to responsibly respond to and re-direct media to designated spokespeople to ensure the company’s policies and procedures are followed, and additional damage to the company isn’t caused by their poor reaction to media questions.