Six Great Times for “Training”

After more than 25 years, I’ve seen communications training (media training, speaker training, or a combination) used in hundreds of unique situations and have customized programs for clients facing many different needs.  They all tend to fit into these six categories in one way or another, and I offer them to my friends in PR as ways to think about how to best use “training,” which I’ve put in quotes to acknowledge the issue some people have with that word.  We could also say, “preparation” or “practice.”

1.  Basic Skills.  This is pretty common — just bringing people up to speed on some aspect of communication they either haven’t encountered or need to improve.  Media training is at the center of this category.  Since most organizations limit the number of folks they put in front of reporters, the approach and techniques of interview skills are new for most.  But it also drives a fair amount of speaker training.  While people are generally aware of what leads to good speeches and presentations,  they don’t necessarily know the techniques in detail or have a grasp of how to use them.

2.  New and Challenging Situations.  Big category that includes experienced and capable communicators who are moving from comfortable to not-so-comfortable situations — anything from a big promotion to a crisis.  When the issues are particularly tough and the venue totally new — as in a Congressional hearing — people generaly seek out a chance to prepare and practice.  Sudden and persistent media attention may add a sense of urgency to the process.

3.  New Messages.  When organizations have developed new messaging around an issue, a marketing campaign, or in response to corporate change, many clients turn to “training” (or practice sessions) to bring communicators up to speed and give the messaging a test run.  Messages will likely not change, in this process, but they may be refined and will be tied to the individual spokesperson’s voice.

4.  One Message, Many Voices.  When large campaigns use many people to amplify and localize a message, training/practice sessions are critical.  And when spokesperson allies are drawn from multiple organizations and locations, the sessions themselves can be valuable team-building events.

5.  Scenario Role Play.  We know this primarily in the context of crisis preparedness simulations, but scenario-based role playing can be an effective way to plan for any anticipated situation:   proposed regulatory changes; new scientific studies that impact products; and criticism from community-based organizations, to name a few.  When scenarios are complex with several complications, the role play provides a opportunity to examine strategy as well as messaging and communications ability.

6. Internal Sell-In.  What I’m thinkin of here combines aspects of numbers 2, 3 and 4.  When there is a challenging new internal issue that must be communicated broadly, and that communication includes a set of messages that management must cascade through the organization, a series of communications/messaging sessions provide a useful process to make this happen.

Would love to hear perspectives on what’s driving media/communications training.