Effective Crisis Communication

Issued by Northeastern University

Earners of the Effective Crisis Communication badge have learned how to be effective communicators and leaders of their organizations in crisis situations. They have thought strategically about crisis communication and understand the major factors that separate success from failure. Finally, participants have identified how to successfully balance the “communications triangle” (stakeholders, messages, channels) within their organization.

Type Learning
Level Foundational

Skills

Earning Criteria

Defined the key characteristics of a crisis
Examined how reputation impacts an organization’s decision-making in a crisis
Reviewed the difference between predicting a crisis and preparing to deal with the impacts of a crisis, regardless of cause
Investigated three guiding principles for effective crisis communication
Distinguished between different stakeholder groups and their needs, interests, and motivations
Examined the challenges of communicating with multiple stakeholders during a crisis
Identified special groups that emerge during a crisis – victims and employees
Explored stakeholder activism and how communications can diffuse tension
Examined how message maps and the “rule of 3” enable an organization to develop effective messages quickly and avoid falling into the trap of speculation
Reviewed how the required messages change as a crisis unfolds and how to shape stakeholder perceptions of the organization’s response
Explore the obstacles that can disrupt message delivery during a crisis, from normal channels being unavailable to the need to broadcast an emergency alert
Highlighted the importance of a balance between broad-based mass communication and direct and personal communication with key stakeholders.