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Here’s an uncomfortable truth: most companies don’t have a crisis plan until they desperately need one. And by then, it’s too late to think clearly, move quickly, or communicate with the nuance the moment demands.
As Chiefs of Staff, we’re often the ones who end up in the war room when things go sideways, whether it’s an internal HR issue, a product problem, or a social media firestorm. This workshop with crisis comms expert Kelly Voelker gives you a complete framework (the S.T.E.P.S. method) to build your organization’s crisis muscle before you need it, so when something inevitably breaks, you’ve got a well-oiled machine ready to activate instead of a panicked committee trying to figure out who’s on first.
Kelly Voelker is a seasoned communications professional with more than 2️⃣0️⃣ years of experience helping organizations navigate the most complex communications challenges. In 2014, she founded KVA, an agency that specializes in crisis communications, corporate and employer branding, and leading during times of change and transformation.
Since then, KVA has been a trusted thought partner to brands across industries, providing strategic guidance, supporting full-scale execution, and making the process of communicating to every stakeholder easier.
Kelly shares her practical, tactical playbook built from over two decades of real-world experience, walking you through her S.T.E.P.S. framework with concrete examples, templates, and scripts you can actually use. You’ll leave knowing exactly what to put in place now so that when (not if) a crisis hits, you can act decisively instead of reactively.
The workshop includes real case studies, downloadable checklists, and extended Q&A covering internal crises, managing external experts, and getting alignment from leadership teams who disagree on whether something even is a crisis.
Scenario Planning: How to map your biggest risks and focus your prep where it matters most
Team: Building your bench of experts (and why the CEO shouldn’t be point person)
Early Warning System: Tools and tactics for catching issues before they become crises
Process: The checklists, timelines, and protocols that let you move fast under pressure
Strategic Response: How to build trust when stakes are highest
What you need to know immediately when a crisis breaks
How to assemble your team and gather accurate information fast
When to respond publicly, and when silence is the right call
How to manage recovery and watch for second waves
The key components every statement needs (acknowledgment, empathy, commitment)
Why making promises you can keep builds more trust than big declarations
Templates you can draft now and adapt when needed
Why internal crises require even deeper audience mapping
How rumors flow through organizations and how to get ahead of them
Managing the political dynamics of sensitive internal communications
The red/yellow/green framework for crisis classification
How to build business-case arguments for crisis prep with skeptical leaders
Setting protocols for escalation before you need them
How to balance outside counsel with internal knowledge
Pushing hard conversations ahead of time so you’re not debating in the heat of the moment
When to trust expert guidance vs. trust your team’s ground truth
Whether you’re a current or aspiring Chief of Staff, I invite you to check out the Ask a Chief of Staff community. We’re now 4️⃣ 5️⃣ 0️⃣ ➕ members strong, helping Chiefs of Staff navigate their careers through:
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