Polycrisis Communication Mastery: Lead Through Cascading Global Crises
Philippe Borremans
Crisis & Risk Communication Consultant
Polycrisis Communication Mastery: Lead Through Cascading Global Crises
Your crisis communication playbook no longer fits the conditions it was built for.
It assumed discrete events with clear edges: a recall, a fire, a bad headline. That assumption no longer holds. Today’s crises overlap and trigger one another. A geopolitical disruption strains suppliers. That strain exposes cyber risk. False information spreads faster than teams can verify facts. Cause and effect blur, and pressure compounds.
Using a legacy playbook in this environment creates risk of its own. When systems collide and time compresses, delayed judgement and narrow framing become visible failures.
This programme rebuilds how you operate under stress. It strengthens how you scan for second‑order risk, how you pressure‑test decisions, and how you advise executives when signals conflict and certainty disappears. The goal is not faster reaction but better anticipation.
Over six weeks, you will work with practical frameworks, live simulations, and decision tools built for interconnected crises.
You will move beyond firefighting toward an organisation that absorbs shocks without losing direction.
What you’ll learn
Become the C-suite's most trusted advisor on interconnected risk.
Deconstruct Global Risks Reports to understand the 5 key risk categories and their top 10 interconnected threats.
Apply a strategic filter to translate abstract global risks into concrete, high-impact threats for your specific industry and organisation.
Create a prioritised "Risk Radar" of the top 5 polycrisis threats your organisation faces in the next 18-24 months.
Learn the 3-step process for building a Polycrisis Matrix: identify triggers, map cascades, and score communication complexity.
Use the matrix to anticipate second- and third-order impacts, moving beyond immediate crisis response to proactive strategic counsel.
Present your matrix analysis to peers to pressure-test your assumptions and gain cross-industry insights.
Experience the "fog of war" in a 90-minute, real-time simulation with 4 cascading injects that test your decision-making abilities.
Practise making critical communication choices under extreme pressure, with incomplete information and competing stakeholder demands.
Receive direct, candid feedback from peers and the instructor on your leadership style and communication effectiveness during the debrief.
Assess your team's current state against the 5 core capabilities: Sense-Making, Narrative Agility, Stakeholder Resilience, and more.
Use the "Capability-Maturity Model" to identify critical gaps and prioritise areas for investment and training.
Create a 12-month strategic roadmap to build a high-performing, polycrisis-ready communication function.
Synthesise all your learnings into a single, powerful action plan that outlines your 90-day implementation strategy.
Structure your plan to be "board-ready"—clear, concise, and focused on business impact and risk mitigation.
Present your action plan to the cohort for final feedback, ensuring you leave with a document ready for your C-suite.
Learn directly from Philippe
Philippe Borremans
Crisis, Risk and Emergency Communication Consultant, Author, Certified Trainer.
Who this course is for
- The Corporate CCO
The CCO of a global firm whose crisis playbook feels obsolete. You need to advise your board on connected, cascading risks.
Government Comms Leader
Comms lead in a public agency managing high‑stakes, politically sensitive crises requiring coordinated responses.
NGO/Multilateral Comms Director
Communication leader in a major NGO handling complex societal crises and rapid‑change environments.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Philippe Borremans in a real-time, interactive format.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Executive Peer Learning Network
Join an exclusive cohort of senior CCOs and Directors to share insights and benchmarking data.
Live "Perfect Storm" Simulation
Put your skills to the test in a high-pressure, real-time simulation.
Build a 90-Day Readiness Roadmap
This isn't just theory; you will exit the course with a concrete, peer-reviewed Action Plan.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund through the second week of the course.
Course syllabus
6 live sessions • 24 lessons
Week 1
Module 1: Understanding the Polycrisis Landscape
Mar
4
Live Session 1: Understanding the Polycrisis Landscape
Week 2
Module 2: The Polycrisis Matrix – A Strategic Tool
Mar
11
Live Session 2 – The Polycrisis Matrix: A Strategic Tool
Schedule
Live sessions
2 hrs / week
During the live sessions, you’ll apply the concepts through hands‑on exercises, peer discussions, and real‑time problem‑solving. You’ll practice using the Polycrisis Matrix, build scenarios, navigate a live crisis simulation, and receive feedback to strengthen your communication leadership.
Wed, Mar 4
5:00 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)
Wed, Mar 11
5:00 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)
Wed, Mar 18
5:00 PM—7:00 PM (UTC)
Projects
1-2 hrs / week
For the capstone project, you’ll develop a tailored Polycrisis Communication Readiness Action Plan for your organisation. You’ll synthesise course tools, assess capability gaps, and create a 90‑day roadmap. Most work happens asynchronously, with feedback during the final live session.
Async content
1 hr / week
During the week, you’ll engage with concise readings and reflection exercises designed to build foundational knowledge before each live session. This material gives you the frameworks, context, and tools you’ll apply in workshops, simulations, and your final action plan.