The Principles of Effective Crisis Communication

Today, organizations all across the country are developing strategies to navigate the coronavirus crisis. For many business leaders and communication professionals, this pandemic represents the first major crisis they’ve ever confronted.   

But whether this is your first crisis, or if you’ve been here before, there are several fundamental, highly effective communication practices that will help you successfully navigate this and any other organizational communication challenges you might encounter in the future. 

Learn how to develop strategies that inform employees and reassure key stakeholders, while protecting your organization's reputation.

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Shawn Turner, professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University and former director of communication for U.S. National Intelligence, hosted a webinar where he outlined some key principles of effective crisis communication for organizations to put into practice today. Turner teaches a whole course devoted to crisis communication, CAS 833, within the Strategic Communication Online Master's Program.

Below, the webinar is divided into three separate clips that address the classics, the extras and the human element as they relate to crisis communication.

 

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What kind of crisis is the coronavirus pandemic? How should organizations respond? Right now, organizations are working through these questions as they develop strategies to navigate the current coronavirus crisis. For many, this pandemic represents the first major crisis they’ve ever confronted

In Principles of Effective Crisis Communication Part One: The Classics, Shawn Turner, professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University and former director of communication for U.S. National Intelligence, goes over the tried and true responses of crisis communication and how they apply to the current coronavirus crisis.

When working through a crisis, it is important to respond with the basics, but what are you missing? Could you be doing more?

In Principles of Effective Crisis Communication Part Two: The Extras, Shawn Turner, professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University and former director of communication for U.S. National Intelligence, goes over the often overlooked principles of crisis communication and how they apply to the current coronavirus crisis.

What happens when a misstep is made during a crisis? How do you account for the human element -- both internally and externally -- during crisis communication?

In Principles of Effective Crisis Communication Part Three: The Human Element, Shawn Turner, professor of strategic communication at Michigan State University and former director of communication for U.S. National Intelligence, and Monique Turner, chair of the Department of Communication at Michigan State University, go over the anxiety and fear that occur among individuals during a crisis and how to respond.

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Faculty

Shawn Turner

Shawn Turner

Professor of Practice
Department
Communication

Shawn Turner is a Professor of Strategic Communication at Michigan State University, and a National Security Communication Analyst for CNN. He is an established expert in communication leadership, strategy, and crisis management.

Contact
ssturner@msu.edu
517-355-6888

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Faculty

Monique Turner

Monique Turner

Chair of the Department of Communication
Department
Communication

Dr. Monique Mitchell Turner is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at Michigan State University. Prior to this appointment, she served as Associate Dean of MPH programs at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University.

Contact
mmturner@msu.edu

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