Course Outline
Welcome and Program Overview
- Discussion of objectives, agenda, and course dynamics.
- Setting participant expectations and establishing ground rules.
Operational Context: Public Services and Social Visibility
- The role of the field worker as the primary representative of the organization.
- Common high-pressure scenarios encountered in public service operations.
- The impact of public visibility on institutional credibility and reputation.
Emotional Self-Regulation in the Field
- Recognizing emotional triggers during on-site interactions.
- Techniques for self-regulation prior to and during confrontations.
- Strategies to prevent emotional burnout resulting from sustained public exposure.
The ABC Protocol for Crisis and Confrontation
- Overview of the three phases: Anticipate, Block, and Channel.
- Detailed application of the protocol in public confrontation scenarios.
- Hands-on exercises using typical field scenarios for immediate practice.
- Providing an ABC pocket card containing key steps and recommended response phrases.
Assertive Communication with Key Stakeholders
- Distinguishing between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication styles.
- Using the first-person message model to convey organizational positions effectively.
- Practicing interactions with hostile stakeholders in high-tension scenarios.
Managing Community Complaints Regarding Service Fees
- Understanding public perspectives on utility and service costs.
- Crafting empathetic responses that maintain institutional integrity.
- Conducting simulated dialogues with residents disputing service charges.
Social Media Exposure and Viral Incident Response
- Risk assessment of unauthorized recordings and potential viral spread.
- Best practices for behavior when being filmed.
- Internal communication procedures to follow after a media incident.
Engaging Political and Institutional Stakeholders
- Mapping stakeholders including local government, councils, community boards, and local leaders.
- Preparation strategies for institutional meetings and engagements.
- Techniques for handling challenging questions in political environments.
De-escalation Techniques in Public Confrontations
- Identifying early warning signs of escalation and methods to interrupt them.
- Leveraging non-verbal cues to reduce hostility.
- Role-playing altercations in public spaces to build confidence.
Analysis of Real-World Field Cases
- Examination of actual incidents from participants' operational contexts.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of responses and identifying areas for improvement.
- Applying lessons learned to reinforce the ABC protocol.
Practical Simulations with Critical Actors
- Designing scenarios based on real team experiences and challenges.
- Engaging in intensive practice with real-time feedback and coaching.
- Rotating roles to foster empathy and understanding of counterpart perspectives.
Post-Incident Protocols and Institutional Communication
- Procedures for internally reporting critical incidents.
- Coordinating actions with the corporate communications team.
- Designating spokespersons and defining key messaging for post-event communications.
Developing a Personal Action Plan
- Self-assessment to identify individual areas for professional development.
- Setting concrete commitments for application in daily operations.
- Creating a personalized field pocket guide with ABC steps and assertive phrases.
Building Organizational Resilience
- The role of team care in sustaining emotional well-being.
- Implementing peer support practices following critical incidents.
- Establishing self-care routines for personnel in high-exposure roles.
Closing and Commitment to Application
- Group reflection on key takeaways and learning outcomes.
- Setting post-course follow-up goals and milestones.
- Integrating the ABC card as a standard daily field tool.
- Program evaluation and collection of participant feedback.
Requirements
- Prior experience in field operations or community-facing roles is beneficial but not required.
- A willingness to actively participate in role-playing and group exercises.
Target Audience
- Field staff, supervisors, and commercial or institutional relations personnel in public services who regularly 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.
