Hostile takeover or defense … product tampering … work site accidents … criminal charges or media accusations … government investigations … plant closings … When the real thing happens, you don't want to be fumbling for the contingency plans. Corporate executives need to be prepared.

The country's universities, colleges and other institutions of higher learning face their own types of crises including laboratory accidents, athletic scandals, inappropriate hazing, on and off campus assaults, and serious student misbehavior. Experience has shown that the university or college, including the President's office, department heads, athletic coaches and staff, must be prepared to deal with intense media and public scrutiny.

When our major clients asked us to help them get their contingency plans in shape and put their executives through their paces, we responded with a rigorous, fast-paced course that earned rave reviews. Since then, we've done the same for hundreds of businesses and organizations.

We work with each client to develop a realistic crisis scenario that features role playing, and simulates the pressurized whirlwind of late-breaking information, media onslaught, deadline pressures and the urgent need to get the message straight.

From board room to mock press conferences, our crisis management course teaches you how to deal with the real thing.

Gillette asked Sheehan Associates to design and teach a course which simulated realistic crisis situations for which there must be immediate and expert responses to the media and public. Gillette had developed crisis communications plans for their regional and division offices, but before working with Sheehan Associates, the managers of those sites had never had the chance to put them into practice. Upper-level management had the opportunity to test their response capability and fine-tune their media skill techniques.

And when the real thing does hit – hostile takeovers or defenses, responding to lawsuits or going on the offensive yourself – Sheehan Associates can come in on an emergency basis. We can become part of your response team devising the messages and preparing your spokespersons for the harshest of media spotlights.