Communications and Ethics: A Dying Art?

2010-01-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

One of the first things one learns upon entering a Public Relations program is the utmost importance of ethical behavior when working in the field. Like the current government, PR and communications professionals are expected to be honest, transparent and accountable for anything that happens while on their watch. So, what happens when a practitioner finds themselves embroiled within an organization where an ethical dilemma forces them to take a pause? I am not just talking about the Enrons of the world here. This can occur anywhere from the highest-end corporations to relatively small-scale NGOs and not-for-profit organizations.

I recently was informed about a situation regarding a small not-for-profit. They had accepted a sponsorship deal with a large conglomerate to produce a product for fund-raising purposes. The organization would get a percentage of the sales of this product. What's the ethical dilemma? The product they had chosen to align themselves with had well-known potential to cause damage to the very members this organization existed to benefit. The organization received several letters from concerned government parties and groups specializing in the particular area.

There's a great scene in the movie "Quiz Show" where-in a network executive is questioned about whether or not he knew the answers on his network's quiz show were rigged:

JOURNALIST: So you're saying you knew about it?
EXECUTIVE: That's offensive.
JOURNALIST: So you're saying you didn't?
EXECUTIVE: Now that's even more offensive

The dilemma is thus: If the organization knew from the beginning what was going on, that creates the perception that they are unconcerned for the very people they claim to be in business to help, ruins their credibility in the field and paints them as simply taking tainted money in order to stay afloat, for whatever reason. If they DIDN'T know, that makes them simply incompetent and even more lacking in credibility.

As a PR or communications professional, you are beholden to offer communications advice to the management. It is part of your job as the, or one of the, experts in the field on board. What if the advice you offer on the subject is ignored or simply accepted with a shrug? The options, ethically, are not necessarily the best for you.

1. You ignore the problem. You accept the fact that this could cause harm to others, but none the less, you tow the corporate line. If the media gets hold of it, you can probably "spin" it later. After all, it wasn't your idea, the organization is, after all, doing SOME good.

This will probably not be the best idea. It is likely your work performance will suffer as the situation weighs on your mind and you find it difficult to be a cheerleader for the organization.

2. You decide you cannot work for a leadership which is incompetent and seemingly unconcerned for, again, the very people they claim to be in the business of helping. You give your two weeks notice immediately.

With the reality of today's economy, you can't just leave a job while astride your soap box and hope everything will turn out OK. Finding a new position and keeping yourself or your family afloat isn't easy.

3. You stay with the organization and "secretly" rat them out to the proper parties, hoping they will remove the people responsible for the situation.

This is very unlikely to work, especially if the management has been there a lot longer than you have. Suspicions will arise. A tense situation will become tenser and you will be doing exactly the opposite of what you set out to do in the first place: Being honest, transparent and accountable.

I've presented three possible options. I have no doubt there are others, and I'd love to hear what you have to say on the subject!

Web 2.0- What is it and how can it benefit your organization?

2008-04-10T13:11:00.001-07:00

To put it in the proverbial nutshell, it’s all about direct communication with your audience.

You may already have been using aspects of Web 2.0 without being aware of it. When the Internet, or World Wide Web, originally came into common use, it instantly became the greatest revolution in the history of contemporary communication. Now, rather than relying entirely upon out dated data from books or encyclopedias, or the advice of experts, anyone could go online and find the information they needed. Web 2.0 takes things one step further. Web 2.0 allows for real time communication and information exchange with coworkers, associates, customers or clients and the ability to collect and analyze that information almost instantly. It is the next step beyond the Internet which simply presents and displays information. It allows for real time information sharing and collaboration among users. A member of your team in Tokyo can work on a project online with another member in Ottawa simultaneously.

Google, which is the most used search engine on the Internet, is the middle ground between Web and Web 2.0. Information can be searched for by typing in anyone or anything. I recently attended a seminar where an expert in HR hiring practices stated that the first thing she does upon receiving a potential job candidate’s resume is to Google them. Her teaching point? Make sure that any information you have online which would fit into the Web 2.0 model, is both completely professional and completely up to date.

What are some of the components and tools of Web 2.0?

It is likely you have probably, even if in passing, heard the terms before - social networking sites, wikis, blogs, podcasts and RSS feeds are just some of the tools currently in use. Organizations both large and small have already adopted many of these technologies as part of the way they do business, because they realize they have to move forward or risk being left behind by their clients and competitors.

Blogs

It is hard to underestimate the importance of the blog to an organization’s growth currently. Many organizations are now posting blogs on the front page of their sites wherein those within the organization (this could be the president of the organization, a PR person, a sales professional…anyone who reflects the company’s voice) can write a frequently updated, informal report about what is going on within the organization or their individual department. This allows for direct interaction with customers or clients who can respond to the individual blogs by adding comments. As is obvious, the organization can then “audit” these replies to see whether they are “on the right track” with their target audience. For instance, had blogs existed in the 1980’s, the Coca Cola corporation could have saved millions on the poorly received “New Coke”.

Social Networking Sites

The social networking site My Space is the third most visited web site on the entire internet (with challenger Face Book quickly nipping at its heels). Social networking sites allow users to create a page promoting themselves or their product; expose it to a mass global audience and direct users to outside point of purchase pages. Photographs, music, creative designs and videos (just to begin) can be added to an individual page. This allows direct feedback in the way of comments, from an organization’s “friends” which are posted for all the world to see, or private email messages. Another site, Linked-in, focuses entirely upon professional networking, allowing users to connect with those they have worked with in the past, or hope to work with in the future.

Wikis

A wiki is a database, web page or other online information source that can be changed or updated by anyone in your organization from anywhere in the world. It is also available as an information source for all to peruse. In a sense, this makes it the electronic version of an evergreen document. The website wikipedia.org is probably the best known example of a wiki.

Podcasts

Podcasts can now be done in audio or video and posted directly on your website. These best approximate a “live blog” or additional information on a product or feature. Many organizations are using podcasts to speak directly to their audience. For instance, a “live” editorial in your organization’s online magazine can forge a direct relationship between editor and audience. Then, of course, it’s all about the feedback.

RSS Feeds

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Feeds allow clients or members to “subscribe” to your organization in a sense. This allows instant news, press releases or other announcements whenever they may occur, to be sent automatically to the subscriber directly via their email.

These are just a few examples of how Web 2.0 is changing the way organizations of all shapes and sizes do business. It’s a whole new virtual world out there and any organization wishing to stay current and in touch with their audience would be wise to implement them.

http://www.freelancewritingjobs.ca/ is an excellent source for Canadian freelance writers, editors and those looking to hire writers.

http://www.techcrunch.com/ is a site covering the latest issues in the world of web 2.0.

Dave Shaw PR and Electronic Media Writing

Communications and Ethics: A Dying Art?

Web 2.0- What is it and how can it benefit your organization?