Fundamentals of Crisis Communication

Crises are an increasingly common occurrence for contemporary organizations. These incidents have the potential to disrupt organizational operations, threaten safety and well-being, and pose risks related to organizational reputation and the reputation of those engaged in leadership. Communication prior to, during, and following periods of crisis is critical. This 4-week online course will introduce fundamental concepts associated with identifying and responding to crises. Through the use of self-assessment tools, reflection questions, and case studies, this course will prepare students to identify common definitions and attributes of crises, explore exemplary practices for responding to crises, and apply the learning from the course to former and current crisis examples.

What You'll Gain

Course Outline:

• Week 1: Defining a Crisis and the Key Stages of a Crisis
• Week 2: Crisis Types and the Impact on Internal and External Stakeholders
• Week 3: Effective Crisis Communication
• Week 4: Learning from Current and Former Crises

Learning Objectives

Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Identify what might be a “crisis” and determine the key crisis stages.
2. Assess the top crisis mitigation strategies.
3. Analyze the importance of the key crisis response theories.
4. Evaluate current and past crisis cases for best practices.