Ethics Month

September 12 2018

#PR Expanded Guest Post: Ethical Awareness … It’s Never Too Early

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Guest Post By Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, Adjunct Professor, University of Tampa (FL)

Hazlett_Kirk_Headshot I know that ethics is “taught” in various forms in most colleges and universities, but I have serious concerns as to whether or not the “real world” is included in the process. I’ve seen a lot of theory bandied about, and a lot of historical background. But how much “this is why ethical behavior is crucial to the success of your client or employer” reality is included, I’m not sure.

Those of you reading this who have subjected yourselves to my ramblings in the past know that I tend to quote Edward L. Bernays, arguably the “Father of Public Relations,” a LOT! I had the distinct honor of knowing Mr. Bernays and visiting his home in Cambridge, Mass., on various occasions. He was…and remains to me…an incredible example of gentlemanly behavior and public relations professionalism.

In “Your Future in Public Relations” (Richards Rosen Press; 1961), Bernays has this to say about ethics and public relations counsel: “Anybody with ingrained good sense does not need a specific code of ethics tailored to his profession to tell him how to behave. (p. 61)” However, he adds in a later chapter, “If an individual is to give advice to others, he should have knowledge and understanding. (p. 77)”

Mr. Bernays makes it pretty clear here…ethical people will behave ethically. But he also gives a good argument for the value of education in the process of professional development.

And this brings me back to my earlier concerns.

Yes. It’s important to be aware of the history preceding today’s ethical guidelines as provided by the Public Relations Society of America, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and other professional societies. But it’s even more important to provide real-life, real-time examples that today’s young men and women…tomorrow’s practitioners…can understand and relate to.

PRSA’s Code of Ethics provides very clear and pertinent examples to support each of its “Provisions of Conduct.” I, for one, use the Code in my classes to drive home the point that ethical behavior is not “the way we were”…rather, it is the “here and now.”

Happily, PRSA also devotes the month of September to intensive ethics training and education. Blog posts, Twitterchats, webinars, and in-person presentations ensure that members around the world have an opportunity to refresh their knowledge and, perhaps, share their own experiences with others. I encourage my students to participate as often as possible and to offer their own insights and am pleased to say that I almost always have at least one or two who take advantage of this opportunity to add to their own knowledge base.

I like to think that, by proactively introducing these young future professionals to the ethical guidelines by which we guide our own thought and action, I am fulfilling the final provision of PRSA’s Code of Ethics: “Enhancing the Profession…Public relations professionals work constantly to strengthen the public’s trust in the profession.”

I believe with all my heart that each and every one of my students should walk out the door with a clear understanding of the expectations I have of him or her. Ethical awareness…it’s never too early.

Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, is Adjunct Professor of Communication at the University of Tampa (FL). Prior to this, he was Associate Professor of Communication/PR at Curry College in Milton, MA, for more than a decade. A long-time and actively-involved member of the Public Relations Society of America, Kirk was appointed in January 2018 as PRSA Tampa Bay’s first Ethics Officer and has launched an active awareness program to help guide members through ethical challenges. In addition, he is co-chair of the Chapter’s PRSSA/New Professionals Committee.

September 8 2015

The #PRStudChat Community Celebrates “Ethics Month” With a September 15th Discussion

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PRSA has designated September as “Ethics Month” with a wide variety of activities to educate and inform members and industry professionals. The month is jam-packed with twitter chats, webinars, blog posts, newspaper articles, and in-person presentations. In the spirit of Ethics Month, #PRStudChat welcomes Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, on Tuesday, September 15th at 8:30 p.m. ET, as our guest host and moderator, to lead a discussion on ethics and ethical conduct.

Kirk is an Associate Professor of COMM/PR at Curry College and is a member of PRSA’s Board of Ethics & Professional Standards. He will engage students, professionals and educators in a community chat session focusing on the importance of ethics in our professional communication. A few of the topics we’ll cover that night will include the definition of ethics, understanding the “Declaration of Principles,” opinions about ethical misconduct and different situations where your ethics may be challenged.

We hope you’ll join us on September 15th for a fast paced and informative discussion on ethics in communication and business. As always, we welcome your questions before or during the chat session. “See” you on the 15th!

A Little More About PRStudChat:

It began with a simple question asked by Angela Hernandez, then President of PRSSA at Central Michigan University (CMU). “Is PR Right for me?” A follow up blog post by PR 2.0 expert Deirdre Breakenridge inspired a series of direct messages on Twitter between Breakenridge and fellow PR industry pro, Valerie Simon. This was an important question and one that should be explored beyond one student or one blog post. Why not build a community to help students across the country, and even the globe, learn from the experience and perspective of industry professionals… A community where everyone can learn and grow together. Read more

September 9 2013

It May Be ‘Great PR’…But Is It Ethical?

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A Guest Post By Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA

The Public Relations Society of America chooses September as the month to remind its members of the importance of ethical thought and behavior. Other communication organizations, including the International Association of Business Communicators and the International Public Relations Association for example, also emphasize ethical practice in their membership information.

While I’m encouraged that my fellow practitioners around the world receive these reminders, I’m discouraged that the reality exists (sadly) that some of them need the reminders.

Maybe it’s my upbringing (small-town Georgia) in which I was surrounded by people who did good for no other reason than they believed in their hearts that was the right thing to do.

Now before you go jumping up and down and yelling “Kirk, how naïve could you possibly be?” I hasten to say that I know not everyone around me was lily-white perfect. But those who were my role models were…of that I am sure.

And those people’s beliefs and actions represent, to me, the essence of ethical business practice…doing good simply because you believe it’s “the right thing to do.”

Communicators have an inherent responsibility to act ethically.

Why? Because countless others…stakeholders, potential clients/employers, “innocent bystanders”…will be impacted in some way by what we say or do, or advise others to say or do.

I love to regale my undergrad Communication students at Curry College with a true story from my early teens.

My younger siblings had a friend visiting, and we were sitting around yakking aimlessly. The young fellow came up behind me and whacked me on the head with the wooden base for a jigsaw puzzle.

Never having been the most verbally-skilled person on Earth, I swung around and screamed, “What the hell?? That hurt!!”

To which he responded with what, to him, was perfect logic: “When they did it on television, it didn’t hurt.”

To quote Homer Simpson, “D-OH!”

The point here is about the peripheral effects of an unethical action. You might not see the damage that it does, or the action that it promotes.

But someone…somewhere…will see your (unknown to him or her, unethical) action and decide, “Well, that didn’t hurt anyone, so I can do the same.”

Responsibility for ethical public relations…like any business…practice lies squarely on your shoulders.

No one else can make the decision for you, so ask yourself before acting on what you believe is a good idea… “But is it ethical?”

“Responsibility is the first step in responsibility.” – W. E. B. Du Bois, “John Brown [1901]. The Legacy of John Brown”

Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, is Associate Professor of Communication (Undergraduate) at Curry College in Milton, MA. He also is Visiting Lecturer, Organizational and Professional Communication (Graduate), at Regis College in Weston, MA. Prior to his move into academia, Kirk practiced nonprofit and government public relations and marketing for more than 35 years in the US as well as Asia. Accredited by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Kirk is a former member of PRSA’s national Board of Directors and has held leadership positions with PRSA Educators Academy and PRSA Northeast District as well as with the Boston and Hawaii PRSA chapters.