The Executive Media Training programme is premised upon three core principles. This includes in-depth situational and contextual understanding, themed coaching in handling media situations, and practical sessions.
The situational and contextual understanding sessions highlight key trends and issues in the African media. Giving participants a robust perspective on their organisation’s media standing, potential reputational pitfalls, and case studies of recent, relevant corporate reputation issues. Drawing on our extensive experience and knowledge of African and regional mass media. These sessions generate robust debates and conversations that broaden participants’ understanding of ‘the lay of the land’ and the linkages between these observed media trends and corporate communications media strategies.
The sessions on themed coaching in handling media situations draw extensively from lessons and experiences in corporate communications around the world. And distil key lessons and strategies for SA’s public and private sector organisations. Through a variety of scenarios, participants learn global best practice methods of handling different organizational issues. The outcomes from these animated and engaging sessions include new tools handle media interviews, strategies to maximise impact in media presentations/interviews, and clarity on what works best and what should be avoided in media engagements. A unique strength of our executive training is building thought leadership within corporate organisations. Building effective capacity in thought leadership is well achievable through: - Carefully designed learning sessions (group as well as individual sessions) - Practical strategy sessions on harnessing thought leadership opportunities and brainstorming sessions on group/individual action plans. Curriculum design will be preceded by in-depth research into global best practice in thought leadership amongst innovation-promoting organisations (public and private), as well as strategic communications pertaining to development of effective organisational thought leadership.
Practical sessions are the ultimate test of executives’ readiness to directly meet and engage the media. Our “learning by doing” sessions feature realistic media interview simulations, with interviews and ‘thinking engagements’ conducted by seasoned media practitioners. Practical sessions are designed to expose executives to media contexts, albeit in controlled environments, while still ensuring that participants experience the live media moments. To ensure optimal experiential benefits, executives are assisted with dealing with such issues as unpacking interviewer’s questions, maintaining composure and focus, managing toughing questions, and maximising control of the interview moment. The executives are also provided with the recorded media interviews for future reference and critique
