Introduction: What You’ll Learn
In this simulation, you'll practice managing communications with stakeholders when a critical issue arises. The focus is on being transparent while maintaining their confidence and providing clear, timely updates.
You’ll practice:
- Giving concise updates
- Translating technical details into accessible language
- Maintaining stakeholder trust and setting realistic expectations
- Coordinating with internal teams for accurate information
Step-by-Step Simulation
Scene 1: Initial Notification
Facilitator: "Hi everyone, we’re having an issue with the payment system. Our team is on it, and I’ll keep you updated every 30 minutes. For now, please hold any external communications until we know more. Any immediate questions?"
Stakeholder 1 (Sales Lead): "Do we know how many customers this is affecting?"
Facilitator: "Not yet, but we’re working on it. I’ll have more details in the next update.”
Scene 2: First Update
Facilitator: "Here’s the latest: About 20% of transactions are affected. We’ve pinpointed a recent deployment as a potential cause and are rolling back those changes. I’ll update you again in 30 minutes."
Stakeholder 2 (Head of Customer Support): "Should we get ready for more calls from customers?"
Facilitator: "Yes, please get your teams ready. I’ll send a draft response to help with customer inquiries. Our main goal is to fix this ASAP."
Scene 3: Mid-Incident Update
Facilitator: "We’ve started the rollback, which should fix the transaction errors. We expect this to be resolved in about an hour. We’re also watching closely for any other issues."
Stakeholder 3 (Marketing Director): "Do we update social media or wait until it’s resolved?"
Facilitator: "Let’s wait until we’re sure it’s resolved. I’ll prepare a message for after we’re all clear."
Scene 4: Resolution Notification
Facilitator: "The rollback worked, and transactions are back to normal. The issue is resolved. Please let your teams know and get ready for any follow-up actions, like customer communication and internal reviews."
Stakeholder 1 (Sales Lead): "That's great. Any lessons we should share with our partners?"
Facilitator: "Yes, we’ll do a post-mortem to gather insights and action items, which I’ll share with everyone."
Mini Roleplay Challenges
Challenge 1: A stakeholder wants answers you don’t have yet.
- Best Response: “I understand the urgency. We’re working on it, and I’ll update you as soon as we have more information.”
Challenge 2: A stakeholder gets sidetracked with unrelated issues.
- Best Response: “Let’s stay focused on the current issue. We can set up another time for those concerns.”
Challenge 3: Technical details confuse non-technical stakeholders.
- Best Response: “Let me simplify that. The main point is…”
Optional Curveball Mode
- A new issue suddenly pops up during the incident.
- Stakeholders start expressing frustration or panic.
- A key team member is unavailable for updates.
Practice staying calm and communicating clearly under pressure.
Reflection Checklist
Communication
- Did I provide updates regularly?
- Did I make technical details understandable for everyone?
Stakeholder Management
- Did I address concerns promptly?
- Did I maintain trust and transparency?
Crisis Resolution
- Did I coordinate effectively with internal teams for accurate info?
- Did I keep everyone informed of the resolution and next steps?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Delaying updates or not communicating regularly
- Using too much jargon without explanation
- Ignoring stakeholder concerns or failing to set realistic expectations
- Not sharing lessons learned post-incident