Crisis Management Simulation

• Receive a breaking event and review real-time updates

• Assess the facts, risks, and unknowns across business functions

• Develop and execute response plans under time pressure

• Communicate with stakeholders - customers, board, regulators, media

• Manage cross-functional decision-making with limited information

• Reassess strategies as new developments emerge

• Reflect on what worked, what failed, and how future resilience can be built

• Crises may include cybersecurity breaches, PR disasters, product recalls, leadership misconduct, financial distress, or activist interventions.

By the end of the simulation, participants will be more confident in:

• Leading under uncertainty and pressure

• Making fast, high-impact decisions with limited data

• Communicating clearly and confidently in tense situations

• Balancing competing interests and time-sensitive risks

• Managing internal alignment and coordination in chaotic environments

• Thinking strategically during short-term volatility

• Applying structured thinking to unpredictable scenarios

• Handling reputational risk and stakeholder trust

• Learning from crisis to build long-term institutional resilience

This is especially powerful for future managers, business leaders, and professionals in high-responsibility roles.

1. Receive a Crisis Scenario Participants receive a realistic crisis trigger (e.g. data breach, fraud report, viral complaint), plus key facts and context.

2. Assess and Prioritise They identify the critical stakeholders, immediate risks, legal considerations, and communication needs.

3. Make Time-Sensitive Decisions Participants must respond across communication, operations, finance, HR, and legal - often with incomplete information.

4. Monitor Response Impact Outcomes evolve based on decisions made - affecting public reaction, financial health, team morale, and compliance exposure.

5. Debrief and Reflect After each round, participants analyze outcomes, review blind spots, and adapt their response plans for the next round.

6. Iterate with New Challenges Multiple simulations can be run - ranging from internal failures to external shocks - to test agility, leadership, and resilience thinking.

• Do participants need crisis experience? No. The simulation is suitable for learners with basic business knowledge and can be scaled in difficulty.

• What types of crises are simulated? Cyberattacks, PR fallout, product failures, executive misconduct, market shocks, and more.

• Is the simulation quantitative or qualitative? Primarily qualitative - focused on strategic decision-making, communication, and judgment under pressure.

• Can we customise the crisis scenarios? Yes. Scenarios can be tailored by industry, region, or specific business functions.

• Is it individual or team-based? It can be run as either. Team-based runs mirror real cross-functional crisis response groups.

• How is performance measured? By decision quality, stakeholder impact, response timing, communication clarity, and overall resilience shown.

• Can it be used in leadership or executive education? Yes. It is well-suited for both early-career professionals and senior leaders.

• Are real-time updates included? Yes. The simulation includes dynamic developments and new inputs across each round to simulate uncertainty.

• How long does the simulation run? From 2 hours (single crisis) to multi-session formats (series of escalating challenges).

• Is debriefing included? Yes. Facilitator-led debriefs can focus on team dynamics, blind spots, and what would be done differently.

• Decision speed and strategic judgment

• Communication under stress

• Stakeholder sensitivity and alignment

• Ethical reasoning and regulatory awareness

• Post-crisis reflection and learning

• Team collaboration and leadership presence

• Overall business resilience strategy

Optional deliverables include crisis memos, press briefings, board debriefs, and stakeholder plans.