People do need to know what is going on, especially if there's something afoot that could affect them personally. And once the rumour mill starts grinding it's very difficult to stop and even harder to correct any misinformation once it has gained currency.

This humorous course shows what can happen when people suspect the worst. One of the largest customers of a fictional company has called in the receivers; the MD has made contingency plans and is confident that new contracts will forestall the need for compulsory redundancies.

The message that managers were to pass on was one of reassurance, but the production head doesn't brief his team properly and their fears mount, fuelled by the fact that people in other departments seem to know more than they do.

Only when a key member of staff hands in his notice does he realise his mistake and acknowledges the importance of structured communication.

Everyday settings and realistic situations demystify the concept of internal communications, showing that potential problems can be averted by taking steps such as: achieving a professional communications process; holding regular team meetings; and encouraging all people to contribute ideas