If we have learnt anything from the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is that we cannot predict what lies ahead. What we can foresee, however, as a business leader, crisis managers and/or executive, is that we are more likely to face other future crises.  

According to WHO, a crisis is “a situation that is perceived as difficult. Its greatest value is that it implies the possibility of an insidious process that cannot be defined in time, and that even spatially can recognize different layers/levels of intensity”. The Institute for Public Relations defines a crisis as “a significant threat to operations that can have negative consequences if not handled properly”. A crisis is a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger which may not be evident, and it demands analysis to be recognized. Conceptually, it can cover both preparedness and response (“crisis management”). 

For businesses today, crisis management is just as important as finance management or personnel management.  Having a clear and effective program for a crisis event is critical to the profitability and survival of your company.  Being able to identify risk, assess the situation, and respond appropriately is important. Crisis management is the process by which you deal with this intense, difficult, dangerous, disruptive event. The Institute for Public Relations defines it as “a process designed to prevent or lessen the damage a crisis can inflict on an organization and its stakeholders”. Organizations face threats that are both internal and external and those that anticipate an emergency, and prepares for such an event, are better able to avoid negative situations altogether, or, if a situation does occur, better manage the crisis. 

Crisis managers must possess leadership and communication skills to effectively detect, contain and prevent different types of internal and external crisis. A crisis manager must also devise and deploy a business continuity plan which: 

• Incorporates the lessons learned during previous crises, 
• Implements actions to secure sufficient levels of organisational functionality during present crises, and;  
• Minimizes organisational exposure to future crises.  

Our Crisis Management Professional course provides participants with concrete crisis management solutions and strategies, while giving insight into the delivery of effective Crisis Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence (C3i) implementation and stakeholder response. This is a practical course that provides participants with a framework that is aligned with ISO 22301 and International requirements. It includes specific templates for Crisis Management that participants will be able to take away to use in their own organizations. 

This course equips you with applicable insights and practical skills for navigating critical moments – before, during, and after a crisis strikes. Students will learn how to prepare for a crisis with a Crisis Management Plan (CMP) and a Crisis-Preparedness Matrix; successfully manage through a crisis by using an effective Incident Command System (ICS) and a clear communication strategy; and also learn critical tasks and skills that leaders need to master during a crisis. It contains a number of practical sessions, designed to build on the ‘taught’ components of the module, and to encourage debate and the sharing of knowledge and experience between students. In addition, Participants will be involved in scenario-based Crisis Management Development Exercises during the course and be given support to initiate their own Crisis Management strategy throughout the 4 days. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

This four-day workshop will enable participants to: 

• • Recognize a crisis and an incident and understand the difference between them. 
  • Analyse issues to identify their immediate and potential wider impacts. 
  • Understand Crisis Management and its preferred framework for the private and public sectors. 
  • Understand escalation of incident to crisis to disaster.
  • Plan, anticipate, respond appropriately to and/or avoid crisis where possible. 
  • Manage the reputation of your organization when crisis occurs. 
  • Understand Civil Defense responsibilities.
  • Apply the structures, roles and responsibilities outlined in the organization’s documentation
    to achieve control of a crisis or incident as soon as possible. 
  • Apply specified and effective crisis management tools, equipment, technology systems, guiding procedures/techniques, and other available resources to assist in performing crisis or
    incident management roles and activities. 
  • Develop an effective stakeholder management plan for use in a crisis. 
  • Identify measures that would improve their organizations’ crisis management capabilities.
  • Gain insight into the objectives and fundamentals of crisis readiness.
  • Conduct effective debriefing, review and evaluation of previous crises encountered to
    learn from experience and improve. 
  • Maintain a comprehensive record of all decisions taken, including the facts known at
    the time and any assumptions made. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This course is designed for those working in a non-hazardous environment such as corporate offices, retail, transport, hospitality, healthcare public services, etc. 

Attendees include: 

• Senior managers who are responsible for dealing with crises at strategic and tactical levels, Operations managers, and crisis management team personnel.  
• Business Continuity, quality, and audit professionals such as Business Continuity Managers (BCM), Business Continuity Coordinators (BCC), or anyone with the responsibility for, or involvement with Business Continuity Plans (BCP) and/or auditing of Crisis Management Plans would also benefit from this course. 
• Crises Management teams or anyone involved in emergency planning and crisis management. 
• Individuals responsible for safety, emergency, or crisis management.
• Line managers and supervisors who would like to increase their understanding of emergency response best practices. 
• Ministry or government regulators. 
• Fire, safety, and security professionals. 
• Risk, marketing, and insurance professionals. 
• The designated incident, emergency, and crisis response professionals. 
• Local fire and emergency response members. 
• Other emergency response professionals.

PREREQUISITE
There is no prerequisite for this course. It functions as a stand-alone course. 

COURSE MATERIALS
Each participant will receive a course binder containing copies of presentation slides, case studies, exercises, and suggested solutions.