Crisis Communication Readiness: From Uncertainty to Action
May 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2026, From 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
Crisis communication today rarely unfolds in a single moment. Organizations operate under constant scrutiny, compressed timelines and heightened expectations from stakeholders who want clear, credible communication, even when facts are limited or evolving.
This instructor-led program is designed for communications professionals who are responsible for preserving trust and protecting reputation when the stakes are high. Rather than templates or one-size-fits-all responses, this program focuses on how communication choices shape outcomes.
Across six interactive modules, participants will examine how stakeholder expectations influence crisis communication, how language and tone affect credibility, and how communicators can serve as trusted counsel to leadership before, during and after a crisis. Participants will leave with a practical, ready-to-use framework and greater confidence advising leaders during moments that test judgment, credibility and trust.
All modules will be recorded so that participants can (re)listen or review them after the live date in preparation for the final exam. After successfully completing and passing the final assessment at the end of the program, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion and a digital badge. Participants also will be part of PRSA’s Online Community, an exclusive forum offering private access and interactive dialogue with other members taking the program.
By the end of this certificate program, participants will be able to:
- Use trust and credibility principles to guide crisis communication strategy, message development and channel selection.
- Anticipate stakeholder expectations and respond with communication approaches that reinforce confidence and project accountability.
- Develop timely, empathetic crisis messages under pressure, even when information is limited or changing.
- Create effective crisis communication preparedness materials that factor in the speed, tone and methods necessary in today’s fast-paced landscape.
This certificate program is designed for experienced public relations and communications professionals including:
- Mid-level communications managers assuming greater responsibility for crisis communication.
- Senior communications professionals who advise executives and organizational leaders.
- Practitioners with five or more years of experience who have participated in reputational challenges or have the potential need to navigate these moments in the future.
Presenters
Schedule
Module 1: Crisis Communication Is About Trust, Not Messages
Wednesday, May 20; 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
This opening module sets the foundation for the program. It reframes crisis communication away from tactics alone and toward the trust and credibility those efforts are meant to build.
Throughout this program, a crisis will be defined broadly as any situation that threatens an organization’s — or a leadership team’s — reputation and therefore its ability to operate. That definition reflects the reality communicators face today.
Participants will explore how stakeholders assess credibility in moments of uncertainty and how communication choices influence reputational outcomes. The module establishes a shared understanding of effective crisis communication and the sound judgment, clear priorities and intentional messaging in which it is rooted.
Module 2: Leading With Stakeholders
Wednesday, May 27; 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
In a crisis, stakeholders judge organizations through the lens of their past experiences and expectations.
We’ll focus on how different audiences, such as employees, customers, regulators and communities, expect organizations to communicate during high-stakes situations. Participants will learn how trust, credibility and perceived responsibility shape reactions to crisis response.
This module provides a practical framework for prioritizing stakeholders and their unique reputational impacts, anticipating responses and developing communications that align with what audiences need to hear, when they need to hear it.
Module 3: The Communicator as Strategic Counsel
Wednesday, June 3; 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
This module examines the role of the communications practitioner as a strategic adviser, not just a tactical executor.
We’ll explore what it means to have a “seat at the table,” serving as trusted counsel to leadership before, during and after a crisis. The module addresses how communicators can and should shape operational decisions along with messaging strategy to influence outcomes.
The module also tackles common challenges including legal-driven paralysis, delayed involvement and resistance from senior leaders. Participants will leave with practical approaches for framing communications risk and advocating for timely, credible response.
Module 4: Decisions Under Pressure
Wednesday, June 10; 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
Crises force communicators to work fast, often with incomplete information.
This module explores how speed, empathy and accountability affect stakeholder perceptions in the earliest stages of a crisis. Participants will examine the role of apology and acknowledgment, the risks of delay or overly cautious language, and how word choice and tone shape credibility.
The focus is on making disciplined communication decisions under pressure rather than reacting to noise or external pressure alone.
Module 5: Preparing To Communicate in Uncertainty
Wednesday, June 17; 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
Many crises unfold without clear facts or the time needed to gather those facts. That reality requires a different approach to preparedness.
We’ll focus on how organizations can plan to communicate effectively when information is incomplete or evolving. Participants will learn how to build nimble, fluid crisis communications readiness plans around principles, message frameworks and internal alignment (rather than winging it when it counts).
The module also clarifies the distinction between operational crisis plans and crisis communications plans, and explores what meaningful readiness looks like in today’s world.
Module 6: Crisis in Practice: A guided tabletop exercise in preserving trust and reputation
Wednesday, June 24; 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
The final module brings the program together through a facilitated tabletop exercise focused on real-time communication challenges.
Participants will apply the principles explored throughout the program to an evolving crisis scenario. They will practice crafting messages, selecting channels and adjusting tone as new information emerges.
The exercise reinforces how communication choices influence trust and reputation in a complex, real-world-like situation.Accreditation Information
Individuals with their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential will receive 3.0 Renewal CEUs after completing this Certificate Program.Pricing
Register by May 6, and save $100!
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