Never let a good crisis (training) go to waste…

Recently I had the opportunity to attend another crisis communication certification training. Yes, another. Give me all the certs.

If you’re getting Office Space “flair” vibes, that’s ok. So am I. 

This particular training was held on Notre Dame’s stunning campus in South Bend, Indiana. I participated in the crisis media training as well, so classes for me totaled 3 days. We spent each day in the Mendoza Business School building not too far from Touch Down Jesus and the famous football stadium. Not far off, the renowned Golden Dome gleamed proudly. It was beautiful. I snapped out of my fan-girl stupor when one Notre Dame alumni classmate noted how “dingy” the dome looked. “Thing could use a good polish,” she said casually. 

Even with construction on the new museum, the leisurely walk to and from my hotel to our classroom in the mild (thankfully) mid-west weather was something I looked forward to daily.  

Reminiscent of my college days, our class time began with lecture by longtime consultant and crisis communication expert, Debbie Hileman. Debbie is the CEO of the Institute for Crisis Management and it was quickly apparent that our clients would benefit greatly from her expertise.. 

Following lecture, we walked over to the very classy Rohr’s restaurant to refuel and get better acquainted with fellow participants. The modern tavern is housed inside the University’s very own hotel, the sophisticated Morris Inn, which is located at the heart of campus.

The collegiate, time-honored vibe was right up my alley. The entire campus evoked tradition and history and I absolutely loved it. I really wanted to go back to my room with a pint and watch Rudy, but I had a certification course to work through.

Back in our classroom, we had plenty of time for questions and discussions about real-life business and organization crisis situations and the public relations experts that rescued them from would-be disasters. 

It was exciting to hear these stories and I was reminded of the importance of tailored approaches when serving clients. Public relations (done correctly) is never a one-size-fits-all service, and crisis PR should have an even greater focus on adaptability. Crisis experts must be able to jump into a challenging situation and develop a plan that uniquely suits the client. Using the best approach for that situation and that client – not necessarily exercising the tactics you used for the previous client. 

Helping clients solve crises before they become a bigger problem, is really exciting. One statement shared in training that will always stick with me is, “The best managed crisis is the one you never hear about.” 

So true. But note, managed. The best managed crisis implies you made the wise decision to seek professional help, further ensuring your crisis issue did not become front page news.

The final day of my crisis certification journey was spent on crisis media training. We were given highly intense, sometimes horrific, scenarios to work with and were instructed to serve as the PR professional or spokesperson for that incident. After only a brief prep time, we each stood in front of our classmates and conducted a press conference with our trainer, Debbie, serving the role of tough, inquisitive local reporter. To really increase the pressure, the press conference was video recorded so we could watch ourselves afterward – with our class – and constructively critique. 

There’s something about watching yourself on camera that instinctively causes you to sink down in your chair. However, after the initial cringe, it proves to be an invaluable component of the media training process and I learn something significant (and I improve!) every time. 

After that, we collectively discussed our strong points and needed improvements. With a boost of confidence and one tough interview under our belts, we conducted one-on-one interviews with our pseudo reporter followed by an additional discussion of learnings. 

To round out the course on our final day, we tackled a group capstone project to put our skills to the test.

Our class was given a crisis scenario with very little information on a fictious employee’s irrational and threatening behavior. Our instructor Debbie left the room and would return intermittently to drop additional bits of information that either helped our mock PR team or threw us for a loop. We had to work together and determine the best course of action with each new development. 

All in all, it was a great training and am happy to say I am CERTIFIED in Crisis Communication and Crisis Media from the Institute of Crisis Management.

This is such a unique and important service that we offer at Providence. For years now, we have been offering certified crisis management assistance, and this training and updated certification keeps us at the very top of our game to continue helping clients successfully get through a variety of business and organizational crises.

Unfortunately, crises big and small happen every day. You do your best to avoid them or mitigate them, but often times it saves time, money, and headaches to bring in the experts to stop negative situations from snowballing and possibly damaging both business and reputation. We humbly and truly believe we are the very best in the Central Valley in this space. We have the experience, background and expertise to see that your crisis is well-managed and finds a swift conclusion.  

We hope you’ll be inspired to call us before any major situations arise, as we can help you develop crisis communication plans for your company, so you’re prepared in advance. But if not, that’s okay too. We’ve got you covered.