Course Outline
Introduction and Program Context
- Course objectives, agenda, and learning dynamics.
- Participant expectations and ground rules.
Operational Context: Public Services and Social Visibility
- The role of the field worker as the public face of the organization.
- Common high-pressure scenarios in public service operations.
- The effect of public visibility on institutional reputation.
Emotional Self-Regulation in the Field
- Recognizing 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 stages: Anticipate, Block, and Channel.
- Step-by-step application in public confrontations.
- Hands-on exercises using typical scenarios.
- ABC pocket card featuring key steps and response phrases.
Assertive Communication with Critical Stakeholders
- Differentiating between passive, aggressive, and assertive responses.
- The first-person message model for articulating positions.
- Practical drills involving high-tension scenarios with hostile stakeholders.
Managing Community Complaints About Service Fees
- Understanding public perceptions of utility costs.
- Crafting empathetic responses without compromising institutional standing.
- Simulated dialogues with residents questioning service charges.
Social Media Exposure and Viral Incident Response
- Risk assessment: unauthorized recordings and viral distribution.
- Behavioral guidelines when being filmed.
- Internal communication protocols following media incidents.
Interacting with Political and Institutional Stakeholders
- Stakeholder mapping: local government, councils, community boards, and local leaders.
- Preparing interventions for institutional meetings.
- Addressing difficult questions in political settings.
De-escalation Techniques in Public Confrontations
- Identifying early signs of escalation and how to interrupt them.
- Leveraging non-verbal language to mitigate hostility.
- Role-play exercises depicting altercations in public spaces.
Analysis of Real Field Cases
- Examining actual incidents from participants' operational contexts.
- Identifying effective responses and areas for improvement.
- Applying lessons learned to the ABC protocol.
Practical Simulations with Critical Actors
- Scenario design based on real team experiences.
- Intensive practice with immediate feedback.
- Role rotation to foster empathy with counterparts.
Post-Incident Protocols and Institutional Communication
- Procedures for internally reporting critical incidents.
- Coordination with corporate communications teams.
- Designating spokespersons and defining key post-event messages.
Personal Action Plan
- Self-assessment of individual areas for growth.
- Setting specific commitments for daily operations.
- Creating a field pocket guide with ABC steps and assertive phrases.
Building Organizational Resilience
- Team care as a driver of emotional sustainability.
- Peer support practices following critical incidents.
- Self-care routines for personnel in high-exposure roles.
Conclusion and Application Commitments
- Group reflection on key takeaways.
- Setting post-course follow-up objectives.
- Adopting the ABC card as a daily field tool.
- Program evaluation and feedback collection.
Requirements
- Background in field operations or community-facing roles (preferred but not required).
- Readiness to engage in role-plays and group activities.
Target Audience
- Field staff, supervisors, and commercial or institutional relations professionals in public services who interact with communities, local authorities, and digital media platforms.
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.
