Ahead of a major global event, with heightened international attention and increased scrutiny of national identities, a global cultural institution required the design and delivery of a tailored crisis training exercise for its UK-based Crisis Management Team (CMT).
Crisis training for leadership teams under global scrutiny
While the core objective was to test the team’s ability to handle crises and build confidence in decision-making during high-pressure moments, creative freedom was given to develop the crisis concept and identify what would make the exercise uniquely relevant to the organisation and its CMT.
Recognising the unique pressures the organisation could face as a representative of a national identity on the world stage, the realism and complexity of the cybersecurity exercise were enhanced by embedding cultural risk sensitivity into the scenario design.
Designing a cybersecurity crisis simulation with cultural risk sensitivity
Part of the scenario concept development involved designing a crisis simulation that not only tested technical and communications responses to a cybersecurity breach but also pressure-tested the team’s ability to navigate the added complexities of cultural perception and national identity.
Real-time cybersecurity training exercise for Crisis Management Teams
A tailored, real-time crisis simulation built around a sophisticated cybersecurity breach that included a system hack, ransom demands, brand hijacking, escalating media attention, live interview challenges and social media fallout was designed and delivered, albeit remotely. To make the training feel more realistic, supporting assets including simulated hacker emails, mock websites, fabricated social media feeds and mock news coverage were also created.
Recognising the institution’s cultural sensitivities, negative international perceptions of the nation it represents were woven into the storyline. This tested the CMT’s ability to balance reputational protection with cultural diplomacy under intense scrutiny, all while maintaining brand trust.
Strengthening Crisis Communications and Cultural Risk Readiness
The crisis simulation strengthened the team’s real-time decision-making, crisis communications capabilities and leadership behaviours. Participants demonstrated increased confidence in managing crises where technical threats and cultural sensitivities overlap. Post-exercise evaluations showed improved internal alignment, sharper risk assessment skills and greater readiness to protect the institution’s reputation in complex, high-stakes scenarios.
Leadership Insight
“Protecting your reputation under pressure demands more than a response, it requires real-time leadership grounded in clarity and calm.”
Leading through high-pressure reputational threats and being crisis-ready requires more than technical resilience, it calls for clear and calm strategic decision-making. High-realism simulations that mirror both operational risks and cultural sensitivities are critical in preparing leadership teams to act decisively, protect brand trust and maintain brand alignment when it matters most.