7 Top Crisis Communications Training Strategies for Leaders

What is crisis comms coaching? When do you need to get crisis communications training?  Why is crisis training so important?  What things should a good crisis communications programme cover?

Meet the Author: Paul Farrow

Paul is a partner at Benjamin Ball Associates, leads the media and sales coaching teams. He advises a wide range of companies, particularly in financial services. Paul’s background combines PR (MD, Financial Services at Fishburn), financial journalism (Deputy Editor at IFR magazine) and investment banking (Swiss Bank Corp, FG Inversiones Bursatiles and Ahorro Corporacion). He speaks fluent Spanish.  Follow Paul on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

What is Crisis Communications Training?

A crisis situation, whether a PR scandal, cybersecurity breach, accident or natural disaster, can strike without warning. Your response in the event of a crisis will determine whether you contain the crisis or escalate reputational damage.

Effective crisis management requires more than just your prior experience and effective communications—it demands best practices, structured coaching and proper preparation across all functional areas of your organisation so you know how to respond.

In this article, we explore why crisis communications training is essential for you and your leadership team, along with practical strategies and case studies so that you’re properly prepared when crisis strikes.  Remember, if you are already in a crisis, it’s probably too late.

Based on our communication coaches’ 15+ years of experience, we’ve outlined below our top tips for preparing your team for that crisis situation you thought would never happen. 

Below we unpack each of these ideas and give you examples of good responses to crises. 

1. Get Realistic Scenario Training (Go Beyond Theory)

Classroom learning isn’t enough. Your team needs practical coaching through immersive crisis simulations that replicate real pressure.  That way, in the event of a crisis, you will be better prepared. All our coaching is role-play based and gives everyone the skills and resilience necessary to handle crises.

Example:

• A FTSE 100 company runs quarterly media training drills where executives face mock press conferences with aggressive questioning from experienced journalists.
• NHS trusts use emergency response simulations that include social media storms and misinformation scenarios.

Key takeaway: Invest in regular coaching sessions with crisis coaching experts who can create bespoke, challenging scenarios for your leadership team.

2. Prioritise Speed & Clarity (Hesitation Costs You)

In a crisis, every minute matters. Your team needs training to deliver clear, compassionate communications rapidly.  That means having flexible crisis communications plans ready beforehand.

Example: A UK airline’s delayed response to a passenger incident fuelled weeks of negative coverage. Contrast this with retail chains that regularly contain a product recall crisis through immediate, transparent communications.

Key takeaway: Regular media training helps leaders articulate key messages concisely, even under intense pressure.

3. Use Empathy & The Right Tone

Public relations isn’t just about facts—it’s about perception. Without proper coaching, even well-intentioned statements can backfire.  Remember the crisis caused when BP CEO Tony Hayward made the wrong statement about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

Or the crash of Ratner’s the jewellers when the CEO, Gerard Ratner said “We also do cut-glass sherry decanters complete with six glasses on a silver-plated tray that your butler can serve you drinks on, all for £4.95. People say, “How can you sell this for such a low price?”, I say, “because it’s total crap.”

Ratners is regularly cited as one of the worst PR disasters in corporate history.

Example: A CEO’s defensive tone (“We followed all procedures”) after a workplace accident worsened the crisis. With media training, they could have delivered a more compassionate response.

Key takeaway: Record and review your team’s crisis responses in training sessions to refine their tone and delivery.

Example

In the same way that tough training prepares the greatest athletes, you want tough training to prepare you for interview opportunities. Make sure you’ve had in-depth media training so that you’ve had the personal experience of being grilled.

You want to feel completely comfortable so that whatever is thrown at you, whether on a radio show or on news media, you can get across effective messages comfortably in your own words.

For example, if you’re asked about a product failure, own up to it rather than deflecting. Acknowledge the problem and discuss what steps your company is taking to address it: “Yes, we did face challenges with our product launch, but we’ve listened to customer feedback and implemented changes to improve the next iteration.”

4. Get Cross-Functional Team Coaching

Crisis management requires seamless coordination between departments—something that only comes through joint training exercises.

Example: A financial services firm avoided a PR disaster because their trained crisis team (comms, legal, operations) had clearly defined roles and conducted regular rehearsals.

Key takeaway: Conduct quarterly crisis drills involving all key functions to build muscle memory for real incidents.

Why Pick Benjamin Ball Associates for Your Crisis Comms Coaching

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we’ve been coaching business people to improve their business communication skills for over 15 years.  Our coaching is fast and effective.  We work with individuals and with companies, one-to-one and in groups.  Call us today to learn more.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

Our most popular training courses include:

• Presentation Coaching
• Public Speaking Coaching
• Investor Pitch Support and Coaching

Trusted by some of the most successful companies globally

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

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5. Learn From Past Crises (Yours & Others’)

Analysing prior experience—both your organisation’s and high-profile cases—sharpens your team’s instincts.

Example: After a vague statement (“We’re looking into it”) extended a PR crisis, a tech firm implemented regular case study sessions to analyse best responses.

Key takeaway: Build crisis communications training around real-world examples relevant to your sector.

CASE STUDY

Recently we coached a CEO to prepare for the opening of his firm’s new fish restaurant. The BBC journalist promised a soft live radio interview. But on the way to the studio, the CEO heard the interview trailed. The BBC said the interview would address the question of whether their fish came from Russian Trawlers. Fortunately, because of his crisis media interview training, our CEO knew how to deal with that.

6. Remember Social Media Crisis Coaching

Today’s crises often erupt and spread on social platforms. Is your team trained to respond in real-time?

Example: A UK restaurant chain turned a viral complaint into a PR win through their CEO’s coached, authentic video response on Twitter.

Key takeaway: Include social media fire drills in your regular training programme.

7. Stress-Test Your Team Regularly

Even the best plans fail under pressure. That’s why ongoing coaching is critical.

Example: A pharmaceutical executive’s poorly delivered apology went viral because they’d only practised in low-pressure environments.

Key takeaway: Put leaders through realistic, high-pressure simulations regularly.  You only get better with practice.

Why Ongoing Training Matters

Crisis response skills degrade without practice. The most resilient organisations:

• Schedule quarterly crisis communications training
• Provide individual coaching for key spokespeople
• Update protocols after every real incident or drill

Prepare Your Team Properly

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we provide:
✅ Bespoke crisis communications courses
✅ Realistic media training simulations
✅ Ongoing leadership coaching

Contact us today to ensure your team is properly prepared.

Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation

Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Some recent clients

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation

FAQ: Crisis Communications Training

1. What is crisis communications training?

Crisis communications training prepares you to respond to emergencies, protecting your organisation’s reputation. It combines expert media training, scenario planning and messaging drills so that you can communicate clearly, compassionately and confidently during high-pressure situations.

2. Why is crisis communications training important?

Without preparation, even minor incidents can escalate into full-blown reputational disasters. Training helps you:
✔ Respond quickly and effectively
✔ Avoid tone-deaf statements that worsen crises
✔ Maintain public trust and confidence
✔ Ensure business continuity during disruptions

3. Who needs crisis communications training?

Any organisation that cares about its reputation should train:

• Senior leadership (CEOs, directors)
• PR & communications teams
• Spokespeople (including subject matter experts)
• Customer-facing staff (who may be first responders to issues)

4. What does a typical crisis communications course include?

The best programmes cover:
✅ Message development (what to say—and what not to say)
✅ Media interview training (for TV, radio and press)
✅ Social media crisis response
✅ Scenario-based role-playing (realistic simulations)
✅ Post-crisis reputation recovery

5. How often should we conduct crisis training?

At least annually, with refreshers when:

• New leaders join your team
• Your industry faces new risks (e.g., cybersecurity threats)
• After a real crisis (to learn from experience)

6. Can’t we just rely on our PR agency in a crisis?

PR teams are invaluable, but delays cost you. When a crisis hits:

• Your leadership must respond immediately
• Every word matters. Improvised statements often backfire
• Social media moves faster than agency approvals
• There are some occasions when it has to be a spokesperson from the company

Training ensures your team can act decisively while agencies support.

7. What’s the difference between crisis training and media training?

• Media training is about delivering messages effectively in interviews
• Crisis communications training prepares you for high-stakes, high-pressure scenarios where reputations are on the line

The best programmes combine both.

8. How do we measure the effectiveness of training?

Look for:
✔ Confidence in leadership during simulations
✔ Speed of response in drills
✔ Feedback from trainers on messaging and tone
✔ Real-world performance during actual incidents

9. Can small businesses benefit from crisis training?

Absolutely. In fact, SMEs often need it more. They lack the resources to recover from reputational damage and don’t have a big, experienced PR agency to rely on. A single social media storm can devastate a small business.

10. How do we get started?

1. Assess risks (what crises could hit your organisation?)
2. Identify spokespeople (who needs training most?)
3. Choose a training provider with real-world crisis experience
4. Schedule regular drills (skills fade without practice)

Need Expert Crisis Training?

Benjamin Ball Associates provides bespoke crisis communications courses tailored to your organisation’s needs. Contact Louise Angus, our client services director, today to prepare your team properly.

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