OCON, CRIZHAE C.

December 09,2020

BSA 2 4:00-5:00 pm

COMMUNICATION ETHICS

Communication is one of the most basic of human activities. A process by which we

engage ourselves with others for understanding, for cooperation, and the accomplishment of a variety
of goals. To exist as a human being is to interact with others, to influence others, and to be subject to
1
their influence upon ourselves. Ethics is the discussion of the judgments we make about the
appropriateness, the right or wrong, of our actions and policies be those actions communicative,
political, social, personal, or a mixture of areas. Generally conceived, ethics concerns the creation and
evaluation of goodness, or “the good,” by responding to the general question: How shall we live? The
word ethics itself comes from the Greek word ethikos, which means habit or custom, but the word
moral comes from the Latin translation of the Greek word ethikos. Ethics govern and yet are distinct
from law. When communicating, we do not simply choose words; we choose words for the effect they
will have on our audiences, on ourselves, and ultimately, on society. Thus, when we communicate, we
cannot escape ethical questions, questions which ask how helpful or harmful our actions are. An
alertness of the ethical dimensions of communication provides us with a deeper understanding of
ourselves and of our potential as human beings.

Communicating ethically is important because it has the greatest positive impact for
others and, finally, ourselves. Every profession comes with a set of questions about how one should
conduct themselves in a professional setting. If one cares about the kind of person that they are, has
good characteristics, stands by moral principles, works to achieve good and avoid harm, and promotes
fairness, then being an ethical person is equally as important as being successful. Ethics work to
enhance credibility, improve the decision-making process and allow for trust between the two
parties. Ethics provide the groundwork for right and wrong, allowing two parties to communicate with
a basic understanding of what is expected. This allows both parties to define what is acceptable to
allow for better relations between individuals and different departments, in the case of organizations.
The same level and understanding of ethics apply to all forms of communication, including verbal,
written and digital. If the basic principles of ethics are understood, a person can increase the likelihood
that they will make a right and ethical choice. A satisfying life also develops as a result of developing
trusting and caring relationships with others and that comes from making ethical choices. Straight
forward answers to ethical questions are not common. In the examples of “thou shall not bear false
witness against thy neighbor” and “thou shall not kill”, they have different meanings to people of

1
Johannensen Ethics in Human Communication
different religions and backgrounds. Every person has a moral compass, but it is whether or not a
person tunes into their own morality.

Ethical issues of business communication are the way by which individuals or groups of

people exchange information between them. From end-to-end the process, effective communicators
try as clearly and accurately to pass on their ideas, intentions and, objectives to their receiver.
Results show that exposure to in-group members who misbehave or to others who benefit
from unethical actions, greed, egocentrism, self-justification, exposure to progressive dishonesty, loss
aversion, challenging performance goals, or time pressure increase unethical behavior. When people
are not ethical in communication or other behavior, they quickly lose trust, credibility and relationship
capital, all of which are dynamic and critical to receiving help and achievement. And the failure of
communication to the extent of isolation, brought about by the apparent lack of integrity in the
individual exhibiting that unethical behavior. The results of unethical behavior are mostly lack of trust.
I have met many people in my life and once I found out they were lying to me or talking about my
life, I remove myself from their influences because I don’t need them, if my stability is preserved.  

Moreover, ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering

truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for self and others. We believe
that unethical communication threatens the quality of all communication and consequently the well-
being of individuals and the society in which we live. 2We promote access to communication resources
and opportunities as necessary to fulfill human potential and contribute to the well-being of
individuals, families, communities, and society. Human communication is a skill that can, and should,
be taught. We firmly believe that you can become a better, more ethical speaker. We are committed
to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice. We believe
that finding and bringing to light situations of inequality and injustice within our society is vital. Public
speaking has been used throughout history to point out inequality, bias, and injustice.  We advocate
truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of communication. We believe
that speakers build a relationship with their audiences and that lying, exaggerating, or distorting
information violates this relationship. Ultimately, a speaker will be more persuasive by using reason
and logical arguments supported by facts rather than relying on emotional appeals designed to
manipulate the audience. We advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing
significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality.  It is perfectly normal for speakers
to share their personal opinions and feelings about a topic. If you choose to represent your thoughts
and feelings in your speech, it is necessary to highlight the information is from your own perspective.
Your listeners have a right to know the difference between facts and personal opinions.

2
Credo for Ethical Communication- approved by the NCA Legislative Council, 1999