PR in the Real World offers a unique perspective into the world of PR through the lens of a regional PR agency, Viva – recently named the CIPR's UK Small PR Consultancy of the Year.
The podcast offers insights into PR, marketing, and communications and it is shaped by the communities Viva serves—both geographically and across key sectors such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education, and the public sector.
The podcast highlights Viva's ethos that PR should be impact-driven, and guests offer tips on how to gain real-world results without necessarily relying on huge budgets or celebrity names.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PR in the Real World offers a unique perspective into the world of PR through the lens of a regional PR agency, Viva – recently named the CIPR's UK Small PR Consultancy of the Year.
The podcast offers insights into PR, marketing, and communications and it is shaped by the communities Viva serves—both geographically and across key sectors such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, education, and the public sector.
The podcast highlights Viva's ethos that PR should be impact-driven, and guests offer tips on how to gain real-world results without necessarily relying on huge budgets or celebrity names.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of PR in the Real World, host Tony Garner is joined by internal communications expert Alison Arnot to explore one of the most overlooked but vital areas of crisis planning: internal comms.
Alison is the Director of Catalyst Communications, a consultancy specialising in PR, training and internal crisis communication. She brings a wealth of frontline experience, including her role during the 2007 Glasgow Airport terror attack, to this powerful and practical conversation.
Alison shares insights from her new book, Internal Communication in Times of Crisis: How to secure employee trust, support and advocacy in crisis situations, which introduces her seven-stage '7S' model. The book offers a blueprint for how organisations can effectively support and engage their internal audiences before, during and after a crisis.
Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of why internal communication is often treated as the 'Cinderella' of crisis planning and why that needs to change. Alison explains how her 7S model (Surviving, Supporting, Sense-making, Stabilising, Stimulating, Sustaining, and Strengthening) provides a clear, actionable framework for responding to internal needs throughout a crisis lifecycle.
She highlights the serious risks of neglecting your internal audience, including the potential for increased harm, prolonged disruption or even triggering new crises. Alison also explores how building trust, maintaining visible leadership and fostering a strong internal culture can dramatically improve an organisation’s ability to recover and thrive after a crisis.
Crucially, the episode illustrates how internal communication can serve as an early warning system. By creating a psychologically safe environment where people feel able to raise concerns, organisations can spot and address smouldering issues before they escalate.
Whether you're an in-house comms lead, a PR agency stepping into a client’s crisis, or a business leader wanting to build resilience from within, this episode is packed with expert insight and practical advice to elevate your internal comms strategy.
Resources & Mentions
Buy Internal Communication in Times of Crisis:
Learn more about Alison Arnot:
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