COM 106 — Trust on the Line: Mastering Crisis Communication
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Elizabeth Lee
Date(s): Jul 25
Class Recording Available: No
Class Meeting Day: Saturday
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 9:30 am—4:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $315
Refund Deadline: Jul 18
Unit(s): 0
Enrollment Limit: 45
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Summer
Day: Saturday
Duration: 1 day
Time: 9:30 am—4:30 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jul 25
Unit(s): 0
Tuition: $315
Refund Deadline: Jul 18
Instructor(s): Elizabeth Lee
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 45
Recording Available: No
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
A product fails. Confidential data leaks. A leader comes under public scrutiny. In moments like these, how leaders communicate determines whether trust is lost or earned. This interactive workshop examines the strategy and practice of crisis communication and organizational response, focusing on how decisions are made and messages land under pressure. Using case studies, behavioral science insights, and tabletop simulations, students will analyze crises ranging from the 1982 Tylenol product-tampering case to more recent examples of institutional failure and misjudged public messaging. Through guided role-playing exercises based on real-world examples from industries such as technology and consumer goods, students learn how to communicate clearly, protect credibility, and maintain transparency while aligning stakeholders and rebuilding trust. You’ll leave with a practical, evidence-based framework for crisis communication and a clearer understanding of how influence, leadership, and strategy converge when it matters most.
Advanced-level proficiency in spoken English is required.
ELIZABETH LEE
Communications Lead, Altruist
Elizabeth Lee has over a decade of experience in communications and public relations for political campaigns, government, public policy think tanks, tech startups, and higher education. She was the associate director of communications and marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She has worked with senior leaders and business executives to develop messaging, respond to crises, and garner media placements in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications. She received a LEAD business certificate from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA from Middlebury College. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.