Crisis communication and media training for leaders
The ITCILO’s Learning Innovation team works with stakeholders and partners to equip leaders and senior managers with media training, public speaking, crisis communication, and reputation management skills. These tailor-made experiences are available upon request and customized for specific needs.
Contact us to get started.
Key features
MEDIA AND PUBLIC SPEAKING
Strengthen executive presence through on-camera simulations, interviews, and storytelling exercises designed to build clarity, confidence, and persuasive communication.
CRISIS COMMUNICATION
Build strategies to anticipate risks, manage reputational threats, and maintain credibility through clear and values-driven messaging.
ONE-ON-ONE COACHING
Benefit from tailored guidance with senior facilitators, receiving constructive feedback that helps refine your leadership style and communication impact.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Strengthen empathy and authenticity, developing the ability to connect with people, inspire confidence, and lead effectively in complex environments.
What is it about?
The ITCILO offers a modular training programme to enhance leadership and communication skills in international cooperation and development. Leaders and senior managers will gain the ability to lead purposefully and adapt to change. Sessions focus on the intersection of development, innovation, and disruptive technologies, providing a comprehensive and actionable overview to empower confident leadership and enhance media relations.
This tailored programme comprises two distinct tracks, each designed to address different roles and responsibilities. Both tracks are curated to align with organizational objectives, providing a platform that cultivates visionary leadership, fosters strategic thinking, and leverages unique strengths to navigate today’s media landscape.
The programme is customizable to meet the unique and strategic requirements of any organization. While the tracks may change and the scenarios may differ, the course maintains its core emphasis on media training, crisis communication, and charismatic leadership enhanced by emotional intelligence.
Participants complete preliminary assignments, customized for their needs, and receive a one-on-one post-training coaching session.
Crisis communication and reputation management
In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable communication environment, leaders must be equipped to respond effectively in times of crisis. Whether managing a reputational threat, navigating political sensitivity, or addressing public scrutiny, timely and strategic communication is essential.
ITCILO offers tailored training in crisis communication and reputation management, enabling senior officials and communication teams to respond with clarity, confidence, and institutional integrity. Participants explore real-world scenarios and practice how to:
- Anticipate reputational risks and build proactive communication strategies
- Respond to misinformation, disinformation, and media pressure
- Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders under time pressure
- Maintain institutional credibility through clear, values-based messaging
Through on-camera simulations, strategic debriefs, and expert-led coaching, participants leave with practical tools to protect and strengthen their organization's reputation in high-stakes environments.
Emotional intelligence and one-on-one coaching
Leadership today is not only about vision and performance—it’s about presence, empathy, and the ability to connect with others under pressure. Emotional intelligence is a key pillar of effective leadership and communication, particularly in multicultural and high-stress contexts.
Our programme integrates emotional intelligence development with individualized coaching, offering participants a safe and personalized space to grow. Topics include:
- Understanding emotional triggers and behavioral patterns
- Cultivating empathy and self-awareness for authentic leadership
- Enhancing interpersonal communication and non-verbal presence
- Receiving personalized feedback on communication and leadership style
Participants benefit from one-on-one coaching sessions with senior facilitators, allowing for targeted growth aligned with their specific roles, challenges, and organizational environments.
Who should attend?
Track 1: Leaders
- Duration: 2 days + one-on-one coaching
- Target audience: Directors, leaders, and visionaries
- Group size: Limited to approximately 5 participants
The executive training is designed for senior staff, offering a two-day programme enriched with fully personalized one-on-one coaching sessions with a team of media journalists, communication strategists, and leadership coaches. This exclusive course combines inspiring talks with highly practical sessions, ensuring participants are well-equipped to manage complex leadership challenges, guide institutional messaging, and project confidence under pressure.
Track 2: Senior managers
- Duration: 3 days
- Target audience: Senior managers
- Group size: Limited to a maximum of 10 participants
This immersive track provides a three-day training experience focused on media engagement, strategic communication, and reputation management. Participants strengthen their writing, presentation, and storytelling skills, while also practicing how to handle communication challenges in sensitive or fast-moving contexts. The small group format ensures interactive learning, scenario-based practice, and personalized feedback.
Learning outcomes
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Cultivate expertise in transformational leadership, honing skills in public speaking, media training, and reputation management.
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Master the art of strategic communication, conveying information with clarity across different channels and contexts.
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Strengthen emotional intelligence, building empathy and resilience for authentic leadership.
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Anticipate and respond effectively to reputational challenges while upholding institutional credibility.
Benefits
Your organization will benefit from managers and leaders who are aware of the importance of good, inclusive, and ethical leadership, and of the current media ecosystem and how to shape it according to the organization’s needs and objectives. Participants walk away with a comprehensive skill set that enables them to handle communication scenarios and emerging technologies with confidence, creativity, and strategic vision.
Track 1: Leaders
Potential thematic areas
Day 1: Crisis communication for leaders
Leadership in a complex communication environment
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Capabilities required for leading in uncertain times
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Balancing personal and collective dimensions of leadership
— Coaching: Your questions and concerns on leadership
Maintaining reputation and navigating challenges with poise
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Communicating proactively during disruptive events or major threats
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Anticipating and addressing difficult or unexpected questions
— Coaching: Live interviews simulation in crisis settings
Communicating vision in times of change
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Framing organizational priorities for diverse audiences
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Inspiring confidence during transitions or uncertainty
— Coaching: Presenting your next big idea
Day 2: Media training for executives
Embracing organizational values and speaking with impact:
- The art of public speaking
- Persuasive communication and media interviews
— Coaching: On-camera TV interviews
Executive presence and credibility
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Clarity, confidence, and authenticity in public roles
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Building trust and projecting authority
— Coaching: Your speech, reviewed
Leaders and the social media arena
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Using digital platforms to amplify institutional values
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Building trust and visibility in the public sphere
— Coaching: Your last social media post
Track 2: Senior managers
Potential thematic areas
- Day 1: Crisi communication for leaders
- Day 2: Media training and practical simulations
- Day 3: Storytelling, writing, and presentation skills
Day 1: Crisis communication for leaders
Leadership in a complex communication environment
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Capabilities required for leading in uncertain times
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Balancing personal and collective dimensions of leadership
— Group exercise: Analysing recent crisis cases and leadership responses
Managers as institutional voices:
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The role of managers in protecting and promoting organizational reputation
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Acting as credible representatives of the institution
— Group exercise: Reviewing a real institutional communication case
Digital and social media dynamics:
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How platforms shape visibility and scrutiny
- Opportunities and risks for managers online
— Group exercise: Reviewing your organization’s social media presence
Day 2: Media training and practical simulations
The art of public speaking and persuasive communication:
- Body language and use of voice for effective communication
- How to manage pace, pitch, and tone to convey strong messages
— Group exercise: Press conference simulations
Understanding the media environment:
- Current trends in traditional and new media
- Audiences, messages, and channels
— Group exercise: Your communication challenges
Digital and social media dynamics:
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How platforms shape visibility and scrutiny
- Opportunities and risks for managers online
— Group exercise: Reviewing your organization’s social media presence
Day 3: Storytelling, writing, and presentation skills
Writing for the web:
- Writing styles for web and social plaforms
- Approaches to newsworthy stories
— Group exercise: Writing headlines and catchy texts
Writing for social media:
- Engagement strategies and content types
- Impact and social media monitoring
— Individual exercise: What to post on social media as a manager
Presentation skills and emotional intelligence:
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Structuring presentations for clarity and persuasion
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Communicating with empathy and presence
— Individual presentations: Your communication project in 3 slides and 3 minutes
Frequently asked questions
What criteria are required?
There is no specific application procedure for tailor-made courses. Teams match participants’ needs to training activities through joint discussions about language skills, job experience, and academic background, among other topics.
How many participants are admitted?
This tailor-made course is designed for a maximum of 5 participants in track 1 (leaders) and 10 participants in track 2 (senior managers).
Where does the training happen?
Tailor-made activities can take place anywhere in the world, including your country or on campus here in Turin. Location should be decided on a case-by-case basis between the inquiring organization and the ITCILO.
What do the prices cover?
Prices are agreed upon between stakeholders and teams.
Tuition prices cover course preparation, implementation and evaluation, training materials and books, and the use of facilities and support services. For face-to-face courses, tuition also covers study tours (if planned) and emergency medical insurance.
Subsistence prices cover accommodation and full board on campus, laundry services (for courses longer than one week), and local study visits (if planned). For courses outside Turin, subsistence prices cover accommodation and full board, as well as incidentals, depending on the available facilities.
What can I do to prepare?
This tailor-made course may include a preliminary online learning phase, comprising a survey and various assignments.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancellation of participation in tailor-made courses will result in the following penalties:
- 14 days or more prior to the start date of the course: No penalty, 100% refund of amount paid less applicable bank charges
- 8 to 13 days prior to the start date of the course: Penalty of 50% of course price, refund of residual amount paid (if any) less applicable bank charges
- 7 days or less prior to the start date of the course: Penalty of 100% of course price
Click here for more information about the Centre's cancellation policy and refunds.
I'm interested! Now what?
Tailor-made courses are a joint effort between stakeholders and the ITCILO. If you are a UN agency, the partnership takes the form of a UN-to-UN agreement.
