Panelists:
Jenny Barkan, Organizational Coach
Shawna Bruce, M.D. Bruce and Associates Donovan Ryan, Managing Director, Great Scott
Robbie Spier, M.D. Bruce and Associates
Crises are about people. In a natural disaster, act of violence, cybersecurity breachm or another adverse event, communicators may be engaging with survivors, families, employees, communities, and leaders who are experiencing fear and uncertainty. Stress can affect how we think, process information, make decisions, and respond to messages. At the same time, the way organizations communicate in a crisis can help reduce stress, support recovery, and build trust.
In this session, we will explore the human side of crisis management. While clinical expertise is outside the scope of the discussion, we’ll draw on insights from brain science and psychology to examine trauma-informed approaches to communication, from leading with empathy and reducing the risk of re-traumatization to building trust when emotions run high. With a diverse panel of practitioners from within and beyond the crisis communication field, we’ll consider how a greater understanding of human responses to stress can strengthen communication during high-stakes situations.
We'll begin with a case study of the 2010-11 Canterbury earthquakes in New Zealand and the All Right? wellbeing campaign, which helped communities navigate a long and difficult recovery. From there, we'll broaden the conversation to how people cope with stressful experiences and what that means for us as communicators.
Questions We'll Explore
- How do we communicate with people who may not be “all right” without telling them how they should feel?
- What should communication look like when stress affects people's ability to process information, make decisions, and respond to messages?
- How can communicators share information without causing people to relive traumatic experiences?
- What happens to judgment and decision-making when employees and leadership teams managing a crisis are themselves under significant stress?
- What helps build trust when people are frightened, angry, or uncertain – and what can undermine it?
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize how traumatic experiences and stress can influence information processing, decision-making, and stakeholder responses during crises.
- Apply trauma-informed communication principles to strengthen empathy, psychological safety, and trust.
- Identify practical ways to adapt communication approaches for different audiences, including affected communities, employees, and leadership teams, throughout crisis response and recovery.
We look forward to a meaningful global conversation!