In an environment where communications professionals are expected to interpret complex information, advise leaders, and respond credibly to misinformation and emerging technologies, strong critical thinking skills are essential. This Christchurch PRINZ breakfast session offers a practical introduction to critical thinking, tailored to the realities our profession faces in today’s fast-moving landscape.

In this introductory session, Carl Davidson will draw from a range of social science perspectives to outline why critical thinking is much harder than you might expect and why most organisations make it much harder still. You’ll learn why we’re all wired to think like lawyers rather than scientists, and why most of us believe we're already above average thinkers. You'll be introduced to a range of tools to unleash your critical thinking, nurture your scepticism, and supercharge your decision-making acumen. If you're interested in improving your thinking and decision-making skills, or just worried about what all those LLMs are doing to our ability to think straight, this is the session for you!

Learn how to get across your message – and to make it stand out from the hundreds of other pitches that editors and journalists see daily.

Lively and enjoyable, this course is suited for everyone: from those new to the industry to those who’d like a refresher (highly experienced practitioners usually get just as much out of it).

Done well, internal comms is one of the most strategic levers an organisation has. It connects people to purpose, shapes culture, and helps employees connect to each other and understand how their work fits into the wider business. But too often it’s treated as a postal service – the person (or team, if you’re lucky) people call when they realise “we need to wrap some comms around that”! This course is designed for practitioners at any level who want to move beyond distribution and into a more strategic, people-centred practice. Across two practical workshops and 1:1 sessions you’ll learn to leverage (and tame!) all the channels available to you, understand your audiences, and design communication that supports alignment and connection.

In times of uncertainty and sustained pressure, it’s easy to become reactive, overwhelmed, or stretched beyond your limits.

In this workshop, Coach and IFS practitioner Simone Denny will help you understand how your nervous system responds under pressure, and why you may find yourself reacting rather than responding.

You’ll learn practical tools to regulate your state in real time, so you can respond with greater clarity and capacity - even in demanding environments.

If you are new to public relations, get ready to enter a profession undergoing a seismic shift.

The purpose of public relations remains the same - building and sustaining the relationships that organisations need to maintain their licence to operate. What has changed are the methods of practice. Artificial intelligence, new communication challenges and stakeholder expectations of transparency and accountability mean practitioners now need broader capabilities and stronger judgement than ever before.

Effective public relations practice requires more than strong messaging in NZ. Many cases call for cultural understanding, integrity, and a genuine commitment to Tiriti-based principles. This dynamic, practice-focused workshop is designed to equip PR professionals with the tools and confidence to work responsibly and respectfully within an Aotearoa context.

Step into the world of government relations through the lens of Alice in Wonderland. In this hands-on workshop, you will understand and demystify how to plan for and engage with government personnel and departments.

This seminar explores why critical thinking is far more difficult than most people assume and why even experienced professionals often fall into hidden cognitive traps that affect judgement, strategy, and decision-making.

Drawing on more than 30 years of social science research and insights industry experience, Carl will reveal how people are naturally wired to defend their views rather than test them, how organisational cultures can unintentionally suppress questioning, and how cognitive biases quietly shape the way we interpret information.

If you’re lost in the maze of AI - you can’t afford to stay lost any longer. Hands on AI is your escape route, sharing with you the best ways to use AI in daily practice. It is a session designed to equip you with practical, actionable techniques so you can find your way.

AI is embedded in our daily activity and we’re now moving in to the realm of agentic AI, where the technology becomes your active collaborator, capable of automating tasks, interpreting complex data and supporting strategic decision-making in ways not possible just a few months ago.