ETHICS IN PUBLIC SPEAKINGby Remy Ashe

What is Ethics?

Ethics is the moral dimension of human conduct.

Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos, meaning “Character.”

Codes of ethical speech are built on moral rather than legal principles.

Respect for the Integrity of Ideas

Over 2,500 years ago, Plato complained that political speakers were ignorant of their subjects regardless they continued to showcase their ignorance before the public.

Respect for the integrity of ideas

Responsible Knowledge

✤ Make a strong effort to acquire responsible knowledge

✤ Responsible knowledge requires you to know more about the topic than your audience

✤ Knowing the main points of concern

✤ Understanding what experts believe about them

✤ Being aware of the most recent literature concerning the issue

✤ Realizing how these points affect the lives of listeners

Avoiding Plagiarism ✤ A speech must be originally developed and written.

✤ All sources and ideas must be correctly cited.

✤ Plagiarism comes in various degrees and forms.

✤ Always credit the sources when you are using a direct quotation from either a published or an unpublished work.

✤You should credit especially colorful or striking language.

✤ Never summarize works of others and present it as your own speech.

✤ Never lift passages verbatim i.e. “copy and paste.”

Respect for the integrity of ideas

Concern for Listeners

✤ Realize the power of communication and how words affect the lives of listeners.

✤ Avoid egocentrism, or excess preoccupation with the self.

✤ Any speech should be audience centered.

✤ Respect audience values even when you do not share them.

Concern for listeners

The Ethical Use of Language

✤ Do not offer listeners distorted deception of reality.

✤ Use language to strengthen the ties of community, not divide people.

✤ Avoid language that is melodramatic that reduces complex issues to good and evil.

The ethical use of language

✤ Avoid quoting out of context.

✤ Quoting out of context is unethical and can have a disastrous effect, especially to the vulnerable listener.

The ethical use of language

Free Speech: Freedom & Responsibility

USE FREE SPEECH RESPONSIBLY

However we have to use our rights responsibly - Being kind vs always being right!

✤ Racist, sexist, homophobic and any other forms of negative speech are unethical and should be avoided.

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech.

Certain types of speech are illegal, such as:

✤ Speech that provokes people to violence.

✤ Speech that can be defamatory, causing potential harm to individual’s reputation at work or in the community.

✤ Speech that invades a person’s privacy, such as disclosing proprietary information.

Free Speech: Freedom & Responsibility

Ethical Listening

Ethical listening

✤ Give speakers your undivided attention.

✤ Keep your mind open to new ideas and keep personal biases aside.

✤ Avoid being judgmental.

✤ Provide honest feedback to the speaker.

Credo for Ethical Communications

Credo for Ethical Communication

✤ We advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of communication.

✤ We condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion, and violence and through the expression of intolerance and hatred.

✤ We are committed to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice.

✤ We strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages.

✤ We advocate sharing information, feelings and opinions, while also respecting private and confidentiality.

The National Communication Association adopts the following code of ethics concerning free expression.

Conclusions

✤ At the practical level, you must establish credibility with listeners. Credibility is based on trust, honesty and believability.

✤ You also have a moral obligation to treat your listeners with respect and to behave ethically toward them.

There are practical and moral reasons for maintaining an ethical stance in public speaking (Michael Josephson).

References

• A Speaker’s Guidebook (Sixth Edition)- by Dan O’ Hair and Hannah Rubenstein

• Public Speaking (Sixth Edition)- by Osborne/Osborne

• A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking (Forth Edition) - by Dan O’ Hair and Hannah Rubinstein

• Credo of Ethical Communication -The National Communication Association

Contact: remy.ashe@sbcglobal.net