Ethics is moral principles that govern a person's or group's
behavior. This is one definition, but ethics has been contemplated for
centuries.
Public Relations and its cousins – marketing, advertising,
public affairs and investor relations have ample opportunities to contemplate
this issue. We are all persuaders, and we should all keep in mind the results
of our endeavors.
Since September for PRSA and SCPRSA is ethics month, I hope
to raise your awareness of ethics through several considerations.
Remember, if we aren’t involved in a situation, it can be
easy to judge; so, situations you hear from me or others might become real easy
to find fault unless, as I heard in a recent ethics discussion, you “have skin
in the game.” Put yourself in the shoes of the PR person faced with an ethical
issue and then see how easy it is to judge.
Tiptoeing into the ethical pool might be a way to start. Have
you told a friend or significant other a dress or pair of pants was fine when
you thought something much different? Have you ever cheated on a college test?
Have you ever copied a CD of your favorite songs? Or have you returned the
incorrect change to a drive-thru clerk who made a mistake? Think for a minute.
Do these “little white lies or actions” make you unethical? These questions
illustrate how tiptoeing into the shallow end of the pool might lead to
flailing in the deep end trying to stay afloat.
What’s your ethical depth?
In our society there are many issues that should make us
think about ethics. Many of them are not black and white; they must be
considered individually and personal conclusions drawn. I trust this example has made you think about
ethics.
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