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 (2)
We have to have the right strategies to communicate better and this training has given us that.
Louella Macasaet - Agile Marketing Consultancy
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.
