Course Outline
Welcome and Programme Overview
- Objectives, agenda, and course dynamics.
- Participant expectations and ground rules.
Operational Context: Public Services and Social Exposure
- The role of field workers as the public face of the organisation.
- Common high-pressure situations in public service operations.
- The impact of public exposure on institutional reputation.
Emotional Self-Management in the Field
- Recognising emotional triggers during field interactions.
- Self-regulation techniques for use before and during confrontations.
- Preventing emotional burnout resulting from sustained public exposure.
The ABC Protocol for Crisis and Confrontation
- The three phases: Anticipate, Block, and Channel.
- Step-by-step application in public confrontations.
- Exercises for immediate application using typical scenarios.
- ABC pocket card featuring key steps and response phrases.
Assertive Communication with Critical Stakeholders
- Distinguishing between passive, aggressive, and assertive responses.
- The first-person message model for communicating positions.
- Practice scenarios involving high-tension interactions with hostile stakeholders.
Managing Community Complaints Regarding Service Fees
- Understanding public perceptions of utility costs.
- Structuring empathetic responses without compromising institutional positions.
- Simulated dialogues with residents challenging service charges.
Social Media Exposure and Viral Incident Response
- Risk analysis: unauthorised recordings and viral spread.
- Behavioural guidelines for when being filmed.
- Internal communication protocols following media incidents.
Engaging Political and Institutional Stakeholders
- Stakeholder mapping: local government, councils, community boards, and local leaders.
- Preparing interventions for institutional meetings.
- Managing challenging questions in political settings.
De-escalation Techniques in Public Confrontations
- Identifying early warning signs of escalation and methods to interrupt them.
- Using non-verbal language to reduce hostility.
- Role-playing altercations in public spaces.
Real Field Case Analysis
- Review of actual incidents from participants' operations.
- Identifying effective responses and areas for improvement.
- Applying lessons learned to the ABC protocol.
Practical Simulations with Critical Actors
- Designing scenarios based on real team experiences.
- Intensive practice with real-time feedback.
- Role rotation to foster empathy with counterparts.
Post-Incident Protocols and Institutional Communication
- Steps for internally reporting critical incidents.
- Coordination with corporate communications teams.
- Defining spokespersons and key post-event messages.
Personal Action Plan
- Self-assessment of individual areas for improvement.
- Setting concrete commitments for daily operations.
- Creating a field pocket guide containing ABC steps and assertive phrases.
Building Organisational Resilience
- Team care as a driver of emotional sustainability.
- Peer support practices following critical incidents.
- Self-care routines for exposed personnel.
Closing and Application Commitments
- Group reflection on key learnings.
- Post-course follow-up goals.
- Adopting the ABC card as a daily field tool.
- Programme evaluation and feedback.
Requirements
- Experience in field operations or community-facing roles (preferred but not required).
- Willingness to engage in role-plays and group activities.
Audience
- Field staff, supervisors, and commercial or institutional relations professionals in the public service sector who interact with communities, local authorities, and digital media.
Testimonials (3)
Managing difficult conversations
Kgaogelo Ratau - City Lodge Hotels
Course - Effective Communication in the Workplace
Meeting efficiency is something that's fairly "basic", but not thought about a lot and with really large implications on people/company time. Understanding these best practices and keeping them top-of-mind will be of immediate help.
Dan Moffatt - Chris Courtemanche
Course - Personal Efficiency and Managing Meetings
interaction and discussion with each other in different groups, together with some games.
