Course Outline
Introduction and Program Overview
- Learning objectives, agenda, and course dynamics.
- Participant expectations and ground rules.
Operational Context: Public Services and Social Visibility
- The role of field staff as the primary face of the organization.
- Common high-stress situations in public service operations.
- The effect of public visibility on institutional reputation.
Emotional Self-Management in Field Settings
- Recognizing emotional triggers during field interactions.
- Self-regulation methods to apply before and during confrontations.
- Strategies to prevent emotional burnout from sustained public exposure.
The ABC Protocol for Crisis and Confrontation
- Overview of the three phases: Anticipate, Block, and Channel.
- Step-by-step implementation during public confrontations.
- Practical exercises using typical scenarios for immediate application.
- Provision of an ABC pocket card containing key steps and response phrases.
Assertive Communication with Critical Stakeholders
- Differentiating between passive, aggressive, and assertive responses.
- Using the first-person message model to articulate positions clearly.
- Practicing with high-tension scenarios involving hostile stakeholders.
Managing Community Complaints Regarding Service Fees
- Understanding public perception of utility costs.
- Structuring empathetic responses that maintain institutional integrity.
- Simulating dialogues with residents disputing service charges.
Social Media Visibility and Viral Incident Response
- Risk assessment: unauthorized recordings and viral dissemination.
- Behavioral standards when being recorded.
- Internal communication procedures following media incidents.
Engaging Political and Institutional Stakeholders
- Stakeholder mapping: local government, councils, community boards, and local leaders.
- Preparing interventions for institutional meetings.
- Addressing difficult questions in political contexts.
De-escalation Techniques in Public Confrontations
- Identifying early signs of escalation and methods to interrupt them.
- Leveraging non-verbal cues to reduce hostility.
- Role-playing conflicts in public spaces.
Analysis of Real-World Field Cases
- Reviewing actual incidents from participants' operational contexts.
- Identifying effective responses and opportunities for improvement.
- Applying lessons learned to the ABC protocol.
Practical Simulations with Key Actors
- Creating scenarios based on real team experiences.
- Intensive practice with immediate feedback.
- Role rotation to foster empathy with counterparties.
Post-Incident Protocols and Institutional Communication
- Procedures for internal reporting of critical incidents.
- Collaborating with the corporate communications team.
- Defining spokespersons and key post-event messaging.
Personal Action Plan
- Self-evaluation of individual areas for development.
- Establishing concrete commitments for daily operations.
- Creating a field pocket guide featuring ABC steps and assertive phrases.
Enhancing Organizational Resilience
- Team support as a key component of emotional sustainability.
- Peer support practices following critical incidents.
- Self-care routines for personnel with high exposure.
Conclusion and Commitment to Application
- Group reflection on key takeaways.
- Setting post-course follow-up objectives.
- Integrating the ABC card as a daily field tool.
- Program evaluation and feedback.
Requirements
- Prior experience in field operations or community-facing positions is beneficial but not required.
- A willingness to engage in role-playing and group activities.
Target Audience
- Field staff, supervisors, and commercial and institutional relations teams in the public 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.
