ETHICS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication ethics is the notion that an individual's or group's behavior are governed by their
morals which in turn affects communication. Generally speaking communication, ethics deals with the moral
good present in any form of human communication. This includes interpersonal communication, mass
mediated communication, and digital communication (https://en.wikipedia.org)
The questions that need to be asked are the following: What do ethics have to do with
communication? How can ethics (the consideration of right and wrong) help us in crafting our
communications? It is possible to be an effective communicator and yet not an ethical communicator?
Emphasizing the importance of ethics in communication, the credo of the National Communication
Association (in http://communication.atwork-network.com) provides:
Questions of right and wrong arise whenever people communicate. Ethical communication is
fundamental to responsible thinking, decision making, and the development of relationships and
communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and media. Moreover, ethical
communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility,
personal integrity, and respect for self and others.
Let us take the charismatic, but immoral, leader as a classic example. He understands how to
persuade his followers with dazzling rhetoric that appeals to their emotions. Is he an ethical communicator?
Communication ethics concerns not only the individual, but is of great concern to businesses,
corporations, and professional entities. A business with unethical communication practices is not as effective
as one with ethical communication practices. For example, a business with unethical communication
practices may withhold evidence that it is harming the environment or breaking a law through a lack of
transparence; while a business with ethical communication practices will immediately press a release to the
affected parties. In this example, transparency makes the business more effective because it notifies its
clients, prospective or established, providers/suppliers, or other affiliates of the potential environmental
hazard or law violation. In other words, in this example, transparency will encourage trust and good faith, that
the effective business will not conceal what is in the interest of its audience (https://en.wikipedia.org).
Johnson (2015) developed the Ten Basics of Ethical Communication using principles learned in
Straight Talk and Nonviolent Communication as well as best practices for small group work in general, with
a little common sense added in:
1. Seek to elicit the best in communications and interactions with other group members.
2. Listen when others speak.
3. Speak non-judgmentally.
4. Speak from your own experience and perspective, expressing your own thoughts, needs, and feelings.
5. Seek to understand others (rather than to be right or more ethical than thou).
6. Avoid speaking for others, for example by characterizing what others have said without checking your
understanding, or by universalizing your opinions, beliefs, values, and conclusions, assuming everyone
shares them.
7. Manage your own personal boundaries. Share only what you are comfortable sharing
8. Respect the personal boundaries of others.
9. Avoid interrupting and side conversations.
10. Make sure that everyone has time to speak, that all members have relatively equal air time if they want
it.