Crisis Communications Virtual Conference

Our latest benchmark survey found that “crisis and issue management” is rising to the top as an essential skill to future-proof communication. We’ll dig into the results—and action items together.

In today's rapidly shifting environment, employees carry a heavy weight of uncertainty, grief and loss surrounding fears of layoffs, restructurings, leadership changes and the lingering aftershocks of a global pandemic. Rising costs of living, family responsibilities and societal instability pile on while tariff stress, evolving federal policies and economic uncertainty compound the pressure. But by weaving change comms, grief-informed leadership and inclusivity into your organizational DNA while activating ERGs as trusted sounding boards, you can transform crisis into connection. We’ll cover:

• Change Models FAQ: Where traditional change models (i.e., Kotter, ADKAR, Lewin) fall short in addressing grief and emotional disruption—including a side-by-side comparison of models.
• Case Studies: Real-world examples (Levi Strauss & Co) of how loss impacts organizations.
• New Paradigm: Insights into why grief requires a different leadership approach—and a grief-informed leadership model tailored to emotional well-being during times of uncertainty.
• Supporting Staff: Practical strategies to support employees facing fear, ambiguity and cumulative stress.
• Tools and Channels: Other tools to foster a culture of support, emotional safety and long-term resilience (ERGs and listening boards are just the beginning).

Crisis drills and media training are often neglected until disaster strikes—leaving leaders unprepared for the public eye. Join us to see how to conduct realistic tabletop exercises, equip spokespeople with confidence and refine your messaging under pressure. By practicing in advance, you’ll reduce panic, streamline approvals and respond with credibility when the spotlight hits. You’ll learn:

• Drilling into Drills: How to plan tabletop exercises and help drive quarterly emergency response training—plus how to incorporate crisis lessons from other orgs and industries.
• Talking Points: Tips to train execs, SMEs and front-liners to deliver empathetic soundbites.
• Bridging & Pivots: Tactics for steering hostile questions back to your key messages.
• Murder Board Lessons: Hard-won best practices and surprising takeaways learned from prep work for recent Congressional hearings on airline fees.
• CIP & Next Steps: How to debrief and refine drill outcomes—ensuring continuous improvement and faster reaction times under real pressure.

• Bankruptcy ≠ Closure: How employee education and consistent talking points turned “Chapter 11” into a clarifying moment, not a death knell.
• A Letter, Not a Press Release: Why Red Lobster prioritized open social letters over formal media outreach—and how it worked; including stories from former and current employees.
• Real-Time Pulse, Real Results: The role of social listening in reshaping the brand’s strategy and directly informing comms tone and timing.
• Shared Language, Shared Loyalty: How internal and external teams rallied behind a unified message to cascade updates and address fear, confusion and rumors.
• Internal Out: Inside the reception of the bankruptcy announcement at stores; and how internal and external comms worked together to educate employees and keep them informed every step of the way.

Without a robust measurement plan and thorough post‐mortem review, your crisis response may never evolve—and you risk repeating mistakes. We’ll wrap by showing you how to track brand sentiment shifts, analyze incoming data for real‐time counsel to executives and integrate lessons learned into future crisis strategies. By proving the critical role of comms and PR in protecting brand reputation, you’ll pave the way for stronger, more resilient response plans. We’ll cover:

• Post‐Mortem Essentials: Key steps to conduct post‐crisis audits, spotlight process gaps and capture stakeholder feedback to fuel improvement.
• Data Counsel: Approaches for analyzing incoming data—like sentiment metrics and media coverage—to deliver credible insights and strategies to leadership.
• ROI & Reputation: How to quantify crisis outcomes (e.g., damage control, trust recovery) and demonstrate the tangible value of your comms team.
• Future‐Proofing Tools: How to track public perception across emerging channels, leverage advanced analytics and anticipate potential threats before they escalate.
• Measurement Toolbox: Must‐have crisis‐tracking platforms and KPIs—covering brand sentiment, engagement rates and more—to build your bulletproof crisis comms dashboard.