J610 Crisis Communications Fall 2018

Graduate-level crisis communications class

Transcript

1. crisis communications J610 FALL 2018 | KELLI MATTHEWS Crisis communications requires the strategic communications professional’s complete arsenal of skills — creativity, curiosity, diligence, diplomacy, ethical behavior, humility, strategic thinking, quotable language and a very thick skin. The work will put all of these skills to the test, often with life-and-death consequences.
2. ALL ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCE CRISIS — CORPORATE, NONPROFIT, TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, GOVERNMENT. CRISES ARE DISRUPTIVE AND ATTRACT PUBLIC AND MEDIA SCRUTINY. For some organizations, a crisis can have long-term, even fatal consequences. A crisis can do irrevocable damage to the bottom line — or even worse, to the organization’s reputation. For other organizations, a crisis can be a challenging and difficult event, unexpected, but one that the organization has planned and prepared for in advance. The difference? Effective crisis management that focuses on quick, open and honest of actions that restore credibility, confidence and control. J610: Crisis Communications is a graduate-level course that covers crisis planning, communications and issues management with an emphasis on real-world application and case study analysis. Classes will be include lecture, discussion and student presentations. Students will also participate in media training and a real-time online scenario. Learning outcomes: By the end of this class you will: • Acquire an overall understanding of the nature of organizational crises, crisis management theory, and effective crisis management principles. • Understand different types of crises and apply effective crisis communication principles to develop strategic crisis responses for external and internal stakeholders designed to minimize the negative impact of a crisis. • Practice developing effective messaging and communications techniques required of a skilled spokesperson. • Gain experience in developing a basic crisis management plan. • Recognize potential ethical and legal issues for crisis communications managers. • Practice effective interview skills and media relations Instructor: Kelli Matthews, Sr. Instructor kmatthew@uoregon.edu 541.579.5888 (call or text) @kmatthews (twitter) Required Books: Effective Crisis Communications by Ulmer, Sellnow and Seeger (digital only) Crisis Ready by Melissa Agnes Keeping the Wolves at Bay (available online only) http://bit.ly/wolvesPDF For additional reading: Jonathan Bernstein Crisis Manager’s Guide to Crisis Communication Tactical Transparency by Shel Holtz CLASSROOM PROTOCOL You are expected to be in class on time, every time the class meets. Every student is expected to accept responsibility for getting assignments, understanding precisely what is expected, and getting the work done to a high professional standard on or before specified deadlines. crisis communications FALL 2017 | KELLI MATTHEWS
3. COURSEWORK Student engagement inventory • Class Time: 10% • Reading: 35% • Research: 25% • Writing: 30% Assignments: The work of the course will include a mix of practical application, analysis, discussion and active participation. It’s crucial that students actively engage through reading and research in advance of class in order for in- class discussions to be most effective. Week 8 and week 10 we will be practicing with on-site media relations training and participation in a real-time online scenario. Attendance these weeks is mandatory. Weekly Discussion Board (Canvas) 10% In-Class Presentation on Current News/Events 15% Case Study Analysis 15% Crisis Inventory/Vulnerability Audit + Crisis Team Structure 15% Media Training Review/ Reflection 10% Crisis Scenario Report/ Reflection 15% Attendance + Participation 20%
4. Weekly Discussion Board Participation • Read & respond to weekly discussion thread on Canvas. • Question posted by Wednesday as an opportunity to reflect on the Monday class discussion and content as well as a forward look at the next week’s topic. • Reply to the original thread and two or more of your classmates’ posts. In-Class Presentation • Starting week 2, each student will sign up to present a recent crisis in the news. • The presentations should be 8 - 10 minutes, include an overview, analysis of what went right or wrong, include key terminology/definitions/references to reading and recommendations. • No deliverable. You’re encouraged to build a slide deck or have visuals to complement your presentation. If your classmates’ need to read something in advance, please send no later than Friday prior to class. Crisis Plan: Inventory, vulnerability audit questions, crisis team • Create a basic crisis plan outline for the organization of your choice that includes crisis definitions and inventory, vulnerability audit questions and crisis team structure. • Additional parameters/requirements will be provided. • Due: Week 4 Case Study Analysis • Write an analysis of a recent crisis in the news (within the last five years). Additional parameters/requirements will be provided. • Due: Week 7 Media training review and reflections • Review and reflect on the media training experience. Additional parameters/requirements will be provided. • Due: Week 9 Crisis scenario review and reflections • Review and reflect on the real-time crisis scenario in the context of the class. Additional parameters/requirements will be provided. • Due: Final Week Attendance and Participation Success in the class depends heavily on regular attendance and active participation. You’re expected to be in class each week. Weeks 8 and 10 are especially important; those assignments cannot be made up. Tips: • Read material assigned • Pay attention to traditional media or credible online sources • Think critically about the words and actions of organizations • Follow #J610 on Twitter. I will share news & info related to this class and I encourage you to do the same. work of the course FALL 2017 | KELLI MATTHEWS
5. DISABILITIES Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the end of the first week of the term. CONFLICT RESOLUTION Several options, both informal and formal, are available to you to resolve conflicts. First, follow the chain of command: (1) the instructor, (2) Donna Davis, Strategic Communications Master’s Program Director, (3) Regina Lawrence, Director, (4) Dean Juan-Carlos Molleda. Outside the School, you can contact the UO Bias Response Team 346-1139, Conflict Resolution Services 346-0617, or Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity office 346-3123 COMPUTER USE You are encouraged to bring your laptop to class & use it to participate in team projects, research and share ideas and connect via Twitter. Provided you stay on track, your laptop is a welcome addition to my classroom. I strongly encourage you to take notes by hand. HARASSMENT Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, etc. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you can find the appropriate resources here https://safe.uoregon.edu/ ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT I take academic dishonesty very seriously. In this industry, your integrity is your professional capital. It’s the most powerful thing you bring to the table and you have to protect it at all costs. Academic Integrity, based on the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility, is a fundamental principle of scholarship at the UO and SOJC. UO’s Academic Misconduct Policy prohibits: plagiarism (using another person’s writing or copying any work without proper citation), fabrication, unauthorized collaboration during a test or on an assignment, or substitution for another student to take an exam, course or test. If you are to benefit from this class and be properly evaluated for your contributions, it is important for you to be familiar with and follow UO’s Academic Misconduct policy. Students are encouraged to review UO’s Academic Misconduct Policy on-line at http:// policies.uoregon.edu/vol-3-administration-student-affairs/ch-1-conduct/student-conduct-code Work that violates these values is incompatible with the goals of this class and will not be tolerated. Students who are found responsible for a violation of the Academic Misconduct Policy will be sanctioned. The first offense will result in a failing grade for the assignment and a deduction from the professionalism grade. Subsequent violations will result in failing the course. Did I plagiarize? http://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/2014/09/16/did-i-plagiarize-the-types-and- severity-of-plagiarism-violations/ Plagiarism.org http://www.plagiarism.org/ (excellent resources including how to prevent plagiarism and a way to check your paper before you submit). policies
6. Description Reading TOPIC: What is a Crisis? Week 1 9/24 Scenario Lecture/Discussion: Definitions, crisis theory USS: Chapter 1, 2 TOPIC: Crisis Planning Week 2 10/1 Scenario Lecture/Discussion: Vulnerability Audits, Crisis Inventory Agnes: Chapters 1 - 6 TOPIC: Guest Speaker Week 3 10/8 Scenario Lecture/Discussion: Crises and Culture Culture & Crisis Communications Chapters (chapters 4, 9) - on Canvas TOPIC: Ethics, Culture & Crisis Response Week 4
 10/15 Guest Speaker: Casey Boggs, Merit Marketing Lecture/Discussion: Ethics in Crisis Communications Agnes: Chapters 1 - 6 USS: Chapter 11 TOPIC: Social Media & Crisis Communications Week 5 10/22 Guest Speaker - Adrienne Webb https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennewebb/ Due: Crisis Plan (inventory, vulnerability audit and crisis team structure) USS: Chapter 3 TOPIC: Crisis Response Week 6 10/29 Scenario Lecture/Discussion: Crisis Response, Art of Apology USS: Chapter 5 (Managing Uncertainty) TOPIC: Media Relations Week 7 11/5 Media Training Melissa Havel, WE Communications Due: Case Study Analysis TOPIC: Media Training Week 8 11/12 Media Training TOPIC: Reputation Management Week 9 11/19 Scenario Lecture/Discussion: Crisis Management Due: Media Training Report/Reflection USS: Chapter 9 TOPIC: Crisis Recovery Week 10 11/26 Scenario Lecture/Discussion: Reputation Management, Recovery USS: Chapter 7 (Leadership) & Chapter 12 (Renewal) TOPIC: Scenario Finals Week 12/3 Participate in a real-time crisis management scenario Time: 5 pm - 9 pm Report/Reflection due by 12/7 Calendar is meant to serve as a guide & is subject to change. Additional articles and reading will be assigned throughout the term on Canvas.
7. crisis communications The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis. Leaders play a unique role in periods of crisis and chaos. Because if you don't, you're not going to harness the power of all the people behind you. DANTE ALIGHIERI LYNN GOOD