Ethical Communication in Organizations
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to:
- Identify key principles of ethical communication and explain how ethical choices impact trust, credibility, and decision-making in organizational settings.
Ethical communication is the backbone of a healthy organization. When people communicate honestly, respectfully, and responsibly, trust grows, decisions become more informed, and reputations are protected. In this section, we’ll explore the key principles of ethical communication and their importance in day-to-day workplace interactions. Whether you’re delivering feedback, sharing sensitive information, or making decisions that affect others, your ethical choices can shape how others see you—and your communication’s effectiveness.
Ethical Communication
Ethical communication is the foundation of trust and respect in personal and professional relationships. It means being truthful, responsible, and considerate of others’ dignity, privacy, and well-being. Ethical communicators strive to be honest, transparent, and fair, even when conveying difficult messages. In organizational settings, ethics in communication become especially important because they directly influence decision-making, leadership credibility, employee satisfaction, and public reputation. As Cheney, May, and Munshi (2011) explain, ethical organizational communication involves aligning messages and actions with values such as transparency, accountability, respect, and inclusivity. When communication is unethical, such as distorting information, omitting essential details, misusing persuasive tactics, or taking credit for others’ work, it can damage relationships, erode trust, and harm an organization’s long-term credibility (Shockley-Zalabak, 2014). These issues are particularly critical during high-stakes public controversies, crises, or staff layoffs.
The National Communication Association (NCA, 1999) outlines key principles of ethical communication:
-
Be truthful, accurate, and honest.
-
Respect others’ privacy and autonomy.
-
Encourage open dialogue, especially in diverse communities.
-
Accept responsibility for the consequences of your communication.
Whether you’re giving feedback, writing emails, or speaking to a group, a practical guiding question is:
“Am I being honest and fair in communicating this?”
Even small communication decisions can have significant ethical consequences. Reflecting on these choices helps build more inclusive, respectful, and trustworthy organizations.
The Personality Test
Ethical Dilemma
You are applying for the sales associate position. You have just learned that you will be required to complete a personality assessment as part of the application process. You feel that this job requires someone who is very high in extraversion and someone who can handle stress well. You are relatively sociable and can cope with some anxiety, but honestly, you are not very high in either trait. The job pays well and serves as an excellent stepping stone to more advanced positions. How are you going to respond when completing the personality questions? Are you going to try to represent yourself as you truly are? If so, there is a chance that you may not get the job. How about answering the questions to fit the salesperson profile? Isn’t everyone doing this to some extent anyway?
Discussion Questions
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of honestly completing the questions?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of completing the questions in a way you think the company is looking for?
- What would you do in a situation like this?
Cheney, G., May, S., & Munshi, D. (2011). The handbook of communication ethics. Routledge.
National Communication Association. (1999). NCA credo for ethical communication. Retrieved from https://www.natcom.org/about-nca/what-we-stand/credo-ethical-communication
Shockley-Zalabak, P. (2014). Fundamentals of organizational communication: Knowledge, sensitivity, skills, values (9th ed.). Pearson.
Attribution
This chapter is adapted from “Organizational Behavior” by J. Stewart Black and David S. Bright (on OpenStax). It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
is the foundation of trust and respect in personal and professional relationships.
