Episode 29 – Crisis communication at the coalface

Katie’s guest this week is someone who is no stranger to crisis communication. Amanda Coleman was the Director of Corporate Communication at Greater Manchester Police when, on Monday 22 May 2017, a suicide bomber detonated a homemade bomb inside Manchester Arena. Twenty-three people died and 139 were wounded, more than half of them children. This was just one of the many tragic incidents Amanda has faced in her 20-year career. She worked alongside police and civic leaders during the Manchester riots in 2011, the murder of two police officers and the untimely death of chief constable, Michael Todd. She says: “Being in the room, day after day, has taught me an enormous amount about leadership, resilience, character and the value of planning and testing so that communications are as effective as they can be when people and processes are put to the test.” Amanda talks about these key ideas in her new book, ‘Crisis Communication Strategies’ and gives plenty of practical advice for communicators coping with today’s pandemic and what comes next.