This course has been designed to help leaders, like you, learn how to effectively navigate the challenges of significant organizational disruptions. As a participant in this course, you’ll discover why an understanding of various stakeholder perspectives can inform and dramatically improve a leader’s response to events that threaten an organization’s very survival. This course is also about understanding and developing individual and organizational resilience—the ability to anticipate potential threats; to cope effectively with adverse events when they occur; and to adapt to changing conditions, ensuring a viable path forward for yourself, your team, and your organization. These topics are particularly relevant in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many course examples will reference lessons leaders around the world have learned during this far-reaching healthcare crisis.
High Stakes Leadership: Leading in Times of Crisis
University of MichiganAbout this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
25%
33%
33%
Learner Career Outcomes
25%
33%
33%
Offered by

University of Michigan
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Modules 1 & 2: Course Introduction and Our VUCA Environment Demands a Focus on Stakeholders
During the first course week, participants will gain an appreciation for the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment in which their businesses must operate and how these conditions have dramatically increased the likelihood of an organizational crisis. Participants will also gain a deep understanding of organizational stakeholders and how the perspectives of these stakeholders become vitally important frames of reference for leaders during a crisis.
Modules 3 & 4: Developing Resilience and Understanding Stakeholder Reactions to Crises
During the second week of the course, participants will learn how to increase their organization’s capacity for resilience, defined as the ability to anticipate potential threats; to cope effectively with adverse events when they occur; and to adapt to changing conditions, ensuring a viable path forward for everyone involved. Participants will also explore this week a model for understanding and predicting how stakeholders will respond to crises that threaten their value proposition with an enterprise.
Modules 5 & 6: Crisis Varieties, Responses, and the Unique Nature of the Crisis Environment
During the third course week, participants will examine a collection of different crisis types and how each type requires a unique response from crisis leaders. This week will also present a detailed look at the nature of the crisis environment, which will explain why crisis leadership is one of the most challenging aspects of any leader’s set of responsibilities.
Modules 7 & 8: Crisis Leadership and Preparing for Future Crises
During the fourth and final week of the course, participants will explore the key characteristics of effective crisis leaders and how to effectively demonstrate leadership before, during, and after a crisis. Then, to bring the course to a close, participants will work through a collection of steps that will help them effectively prepare for their next inevitable crisis.
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM HIGH STAKES LEADERSHIP: LEADING IN TIMES OF CRISIS
This course exceeded all of my expectations and was extremely valuable, even after a decade and a half of crisis communications work. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.
I have really gained a lot of knowledge and practical experience from this course. It will definitely empower me to prepare my organization and lead in times of crisis
Excellent course and the materials. I have learned a lot of new things from this course and it will help me a lot to transform the same in my organization.
The course was so informative and helpful especially in dealing the crisis of Pandemic that our business and stakeholders are facing. Thanks a lot Prof.
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