Communication Ethics
Because public speaking is such a powerful communication tool, speakers need to adhere to a code of ethics. Most professions have created ethical guidelines which governs the work or services that are performed or conducted in a given industry. Even if you are not a professional speaker, but a professional who speaks, adhering to a code of ethics will help to navigate situations which could reduce your credibility, decrease your connection with your audience, and lessen your impact.
Ethical guidelines for speakers encompass two main areas: honesty and respect. Below are some questions to consider before your next speech or presentation as you think about the ethics of speaking.
Honesty. Let’s start with speaking goals and objectives. Are your goals for speaking ethically sound? Does your topic align with your values? When communicating with others, the words we choose are going to affect those who hear us. What outcomes do you wish your audiences to experience? Will your audiences be positively or negatively impacted?
There is often an unspoken trust between a speaker and their audiences. Sometimes unethical speaking behaviors can be subtle: taking quotes out of context, using data or statistics inappropriately to sway an audience, using others’ material as your own without giving proper attribution.
Yes, we have all most likely seen these types of behaviors, unfortunately, and speakers who engage in these types of behaviors lose credibility and trust with their audiences. Not only do they downgrade themselves, by association they can negatively impact other speakers who do not engage in these behaviors.
Respect. Communication is a two-way process, though in public speaking, it may seem one-directional. Even though your audience may not respond verbally, they are responding by how they think and act through nonverbal communication. The degree of respect we show our audiences will be reciprocated by the respect they give back to us. Name calling and using abusive language clearly indicate a lack of respect for an audience.
Not every speaker is going to deliver content that an audience agrees with. That’s the beauty of an open and free society. Without an open exchange of ideas, we lose the ability to create solutions and solve the myriad of problems we are facing.
Adhering to a code of ethics provides guardrails to ensure we have a positive effect on society and are the best version of ourselves.