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  • ethics
September 20, 2018
20 Sep 2018

PR Ethics … “You CAN Handle the Truth”

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

ethicsGuest Post by Kirk Hazlett

Jack Nicholson’s explosive response to Tom Cruise’s relentless questioning in “A Few Good Men” more than a quarter-century ago has always hung out in the back of my mind as I’ve worked with employers and clients over the years. “You can’t handle the truth.”

It most often bubbles up when I find myself confronted by a situation that presents an ethical challenge.

“Should we, or shouldn’t we?”…“What do we say?”…“What do ‘they’ need to know?”

Public relations is just that … open and honest communication with those publics who turn to us for advice, guidance, simple “do’s and don’ts.” But how should we, as public-facing representatives of an organization, be expected to tell those publics what’s going on or what we’re planning without causing even further damage to our organizational reputation?

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Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

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  • communicator
September 11, 2018
11 Sep 2018

Trust Me, I’m a Communicator

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

communicatorGuest Post by John Friedman

It is a difficult time to be a professional communicator. Trust and credibility are two of the attributes that we rely upon to do our jobs.

However, today, accusations of falsehood and deliberate deception are eroding trust in our profession by both those stakeholders we need to do our jobs as well as those we hope to engage in order to provide the maximum value to our companies, organizations or clients.

The continuum between full transparency and “spin” (as it is charitably called) is one we must navigate, and we must do it well.

Fortunately, there are tools and allies to help us.

The question of ethics is one that seems simple, but can become quite complex. Certainly, there are legal ethics, and there are parameters and guidelines that are encoded in law that must be followed. That is why one of the most valuable partners in professional communications is the legal department. Working with them to ensure that concerns about revealing proprietary information while maximizing transparency is essential. The relationship between the two is often dynamic but it need not be contentious. Establishing trust and a working relationship is important – so that when issues do crop up you have a foundation on which to work together.

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Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

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Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

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Heidi Sullivan

Heidi SullivanHeidi Sullivan is a global marketing and product management executive who specializes in transformational implementation of marketing programs, go-to-market strategies, product portfolio management and change management for rapid-growth SaaS businesses with in-depth experience in Marketing Technology.

Heidi has a track record of success in P&L management, corporate strategy, product marketing and top line growth, and spent 14 years in leadership roles at Cision, during which time she oversaw the company’s integration and multiple product marketing strategies through its seven acquisitions.

Heidi was named one of PRWeek’s “40 Under 40 Rising Stars,” “Influencer of the Year” by The Hub in association with LinkedIn, and one of the most influential people in PR by PRWeek’s “Global Power Book.” She was also co-host of the popular “Influence Pros” podcast on Convince & Convert, which was named one of the top 20 marketing podcasts of 2016 by Hey.com.

Jennifer Zingsheim Phillips

JenJennifer Zingsheim Phillips has worked in communications and public affairs for nearly 20 years. Her background includes work in electoral politics, government, lobbying, and public affairs PR work. She also brings nearly eight years of experience in digital and social communications and media analysis to her role at 4L Strategies.

Jen began her career doing campaign work in Missouri during the 1992 election cycle. After two years of political party work, she joined the office of a Missouri state senator and served as his legislative aide for two years. In 1996, she joined the Missouri Chamber of Commerce as Research Director, where she lobbied the Missouri House and Senate on issues such as workforce development, welfare reform, and education policy. She was also responsible for the weekly newsletter highlighting key issues relevant to Missouri Chamber members.

In her spare time, Jen is a voracious reader, and enjoys cooking and baking. She also likes to write fiction, and has had two pieces of short fiction and one piece of flash fiction published in various publications. She has also self-published a children’s book.