Part 1: morning
You explore the foundations of crisis communication and analyse best practices using case studies.
This page was translated from Dutch with AI.
Crisis communication
During a crisis, every message counts. Unclear communication causes confusion, panic and a loss of trust. In this in-company training, you learn to communicate calmly and clearly under pressure, with exercises and simulations. The training takes two half days for 6 to 12 participants.
Do you recognise this?
Your phone rings during the weekend: there is an incident at your place, and a journalist wants a response within the hour. Employees send messages, a customer calls, and everyone is waiting for what you say.
You have to switch gears quickly and still stay calm. You know that every word counts, but you have never practised what you actually write then, and you feel the pressure in your whole body.
You feel the pressure to communicate effectively during a crisis:
- you have to switch gears quickly and keep calm at the same time;
- you do not really know how people react during a crisis;
- you have doubts about drafting crisis messages and dealing with media requests;
- you want to protect the reputation of your organisation and restore trust.
A lack of clear communication increases the damage. That is why you practise before it happens.
Why is communicating in a crisis so hard?
Under pressure, the space to think disappears. You improvise, you doubt the tone, and every outside question feels more urgent than the last.
Without preparation, a crisis therefore costs more energy than necessary. Colleagues, customers and other stakeholders do not always get what they want to hear, and you carry the responsibility with you, even after the situation has calmed down.
It does not have to stay this way. You can practise communicating calmly and clearly under pressure before it happens.
How do you prepare for communication in a crisis?
Crisis communication is a skill you can train, just like any other. By practising on realistic situations, what feels overwhelming today becomes a routine.
Our coaches know the feeling of a phone ringing at the worst moment. In two half days, you explore the foundations and analyse case studies, and then you practise with crisis messages, media requests and simulations of realistic crisis situations, with feedback on what you do.
This way, you are ready next time with an approach, and with more peace of mind.
What you can do after the training
After the training you can:
- explain the principles of crisis communication and the role of different stakeholders;
- respond quickly and effectively to crisis situations;
- draft crisis messages and manage media requests;
- coordinate communication actions during a crisis;
- show empathy, build trust and communicate transparently to protect the reputation of your organisation.
This is how we approach it
The training consists of two half days.
Part 2: afternoon
You practise drafting crisis messages, managing media requests and coordinating communication actions during a crisis. You do simulations of realistic crisis situations and get feedback to improve your response skills.
Afterwards you keep practising
Every training is extended in the THOC Learning Space, our digital learning platform with course material, a syllabus and instructional videos. You continue working at your own pace and get an AI Coach who knows the lesson.
We work in an experience-oriented way: you get practical exercises and real-life scenarios, so you apply what you have learned immediately.
Who gives this training
Our coaches can give this training. Are you a crisis manager, communication professional or manager? Tell us what your team wants to prepare for, and we will tailor the programme.
Frequently asked questions
Practical
- Formula: In-company training
- Languages: English, Dutch
- Participants: 6 to 12