Crisis Communication: A Commanders Guide to Effective Crisis Communication
Abstract
This research paper is a review of Air Force crisis communication training for commanders. As the primary spokesperson for their organization, commanders must know how to communicate during a crisis. This leads to the research question. How does the Air Force prepare commanders to communicate during a crisis and are they using effective crisis communication techniques. The methodology is a review of crisis and crisis communication literature to develop a working definition of a crisis and crisis communication. The Air Force's Media Training program and training techniques are also reviewed to identify and describe effective crisis techniques. The crisis communication training program or a civilian crisis communication firm, Wilson Group Communications, is also reviewed. This comparison will provide information to help determine the effectiveness of the Air Force training program compared to a civilian organization. The comparisons identified common crisis communication techniques and provide information for a commanders guide. The research concludes that the Air Force has a very credible crisis communication training program for commanders. It's required training and the information, techniques and skills taught are identical to the Wilson Group program. The Air Force teaches crisis communication techniques recognized by leading crisis communication researchers, scholars and practitioners.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA398906
Entities
People
- Tyrone M. Woodyard
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College