Responsibility towards Institutions

Communication Ethics

Ethical communication and its importance:

Communication is an exchange of thoughts or impart of expressions and “Ethics is the word that
refers to morals, values, and beliefs of the individuals, family or the society….ethics refers to a
particular set of beliefs, attitudes, and habits of individuals or family or groups concerned with
morals….it is used to mean ‘morally correct’.”(R.S. Naagarazan, 5). Every individual must obey
and exhibit some ethical values in terms of communication regardless of professional
circumstances or social and personal ambience. However, it is most obvious to maintain in time
of professional behavior. The term ethical communication can be defined as executing aggregated
ethical manners whilst communicating in a professional or personal sphere. If communication is
the way of having connection with others, ethical communication is the method of making that
connection effective, clear, precise, concise, fareless, faithful, responsible and respectful. Hence,
ethical communication is important for ensuring the fulfillment of the core purpose of
communication; for building trust and relationship; and for a meaningful, effective and impactful
communication. Thus, one must have a tour inside their own inner self and ask if s/he honestly
practices ethical manners whilst communicating with others, that question and self evaluation
helps a person to reach nearer to the meaning of what we call human beings.

Principles of ethical communication
There are a number of ethical principles of communication which are obvious for every individual
to ensure ethical communication. Followings are the he principles of ethical communication

1. Honesty: The words that a person utters or exchanges while communicating with others must
be truthful. Even it is considered unethical to impart a single fake word. Besides, one shouldn’t exchange any information or spread any rumer without his own gathered knowledge and experience just from prediction or listening to others.
2. Responsibility: One should take the responsibility of what one says. In that case the
responsibility is to assure that every single message that s/he conveys is authentic and accurate.
3. Transparency: To ensure ethical manners the communication professionals have to ensure
transparency. To ensure transparency again the question of honesty and faithfulness comes because
any kind of misrepresentation should be avoided and specially in terms of public communication
all kinds of exaggerations to make people believe a certain thing must be avoided.
4. Concern about the audience: For ethical communication one should have some concern for
the audience such as knowing about who the audiences are, having an idea about their background
and so on, so that the communication becomes effective.
5. Respectfulness: Ethical communication requires showing respect to every individual regardless
of social class, professional designation, age, gender, region and religion. One must not forget that
even the children should be treated with respect because they also have self respect and most
importantly they will learn what they experience. In addition, for ethical communication one
should never be biased and racist in any respect.
6. Respecting privacy: For ensuring ethical communication along with respecting a person one
should respect his/her privacy too. One must not interrupt in others’ conversation or any kind of
private territory. While communicating safeguarding others information is very important so one
should not disclose any personal information or anything that a person wants to keep confidential.
Besides, in case of official documents and agreements an employee must not open up any
confidential issue, in business communication the data of the customers should be kept private, in
journalism one should have the permission before publishing a news article and so on.

7. Time and place management: For ensuring ethical communication one should not only
maintain timeliness and punctuality but also should know about the correct time and place for any
action. For example, one should not call a colleague after the office hour for any kind of official
communication without any emergency, one should know where to stop while talking on a
sensitive matter, in case of business communication on television advertisements the 18+
advertisements should not be shown in time of children show and so on.

8. Medium of communication and language use: The medium of communication should be
according to the choice of both speaker and the listener for example, whether to talk in person or
in social media, whether to talk or write for conversation etc. In addition, the language of
communication should be understandable to both the speaker and the listener in order to ensure
ethical conversation. For example- sometimes people use jargon and registers for communication,
in that case they should ensure that the receiver must be acquainted with the used terms.
9. Non-judgemental and positivity: For ethical communication the speakers and listeners both
should be nonjudgmental to each other to avoid misunderstanding and unusual conflict. In
addition, expanding positivity and avoiding unnecessary negative tone is also important for ethical
communication.
10. Good listener: As communication is an exchange of information, thoughts and emotions from
both sides, one shouldn’t interrupt, avoid or show carelessness to a person when s/he is talking.
The person who is talking deserves full attention of the listener for ensuring ethical
communication.
Eventually, one should mindfully believe that communication is a two way exchange system, it is
not about only delivering any thought or information rather it is also about receiving what is
delivered. Hence, the manner of how a message is delivered plays a very significant role in how
the message is accepted. Thus, for ethical communication one must be concerned about three W/Hs
who, when and how.

Professionalism

Characteristics of professionalism
Professionalism can be defined as taking the appropriate action according to the time, place and
situation; communicating with proper manners which is acceptable; and having the accurate
attitude for decision making in any situation. For a smooth career growth and for accomplishment
of the institution’s goal and objectives every individual must maintain a professional attitude in the
workplace. To behave professionally one should be careful about some characteristics of
professionalism such as-

1. Ethical and Strong communication: Ethical communication is very important for
professionalism. If anyone properly maintains both institutional ethics and human ethical values,
s/he may not need to be worried about professionalism. Some institutions even ask for commitment
regarding ethical behavior but as a responsible employee every individual should also have their
own personal code of conduct for assuring professionalism. Besides, in professional circumstances
an employee needs to communicate with people having diverse cultural, religious, social,
economic and geographical background so it is very important to have a strong communication
skill for maintaining professionalism. Undoubtedly, effective communication ensures
collaborative achievements.
2. Professional outfits and appearance: Professionalism demands that an individual should strive
for formal outfits (ironed dress, not too much makeup, proper hairstyle, clean shoes etc.), hygiene
consciousness and professional appearance. Some institutions have individual dress codes and they
are very serious about the formal appearance of the employees, so there a single carelessness of an
employee can hamper the institutional impression. In addition, a professional should be careful
about language usage because in the workplace often dialects sound awkward and maybe everyone
will not even understand properly.
3. Responsible: In a professional place an individual should be reliable, dependable and
responsible to keep commitments. A professional person would never disclose any confidential
matter hampering anyone’s privacy, would never over promise anything and never exaggerate
things falsely. A professional person should also take the responsibility of punctuality regarding
meeting deadlines or accomplishing any task within time.
4. Organized: In an intuition every official should keep all the documents, official files, necessary
tools and materials organized in the workspace to make things easy to find instead of delaying and
for avoiding unnecessary hassle. An organized workplace helps a person work with fresh
mindfulness.
5. Accountable: A professional should always be accountable for every action. If it is about any
achievement, s/he should obviously take the credit but in case of failure s/he should be accountable
too for the mistakes and drawbacks. Accountability helps a person to realize and find out the
reasons for failure. In addition, when every employee remains accountable to the authority for their
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actions, the whole management of an institution remains systematic which ultimately helps the
institution to progress and achieve the desired goal properly.
6. Prioritizing properly: Professionals should know how to distinguish professional life and
personal life as well as which one to prioritize when. An employee should never allow personal
issues to hamper his/her professional responsibilities.
7. Optimistic: Professionals should have an optimistic mindset about every issue. Professional
behavior never allows one to make unnecessary negative comments and show negative attitude
rather it seeks for a positive gesture towards everything. Besides, Positive feedback, even positive
tone in negative feedback, appreciation are very important to increase the growth of a person’s
productive performance. In addition, one should know how to say “No” in a positive tone at the
workspace.
8. Controlling emotions: Professionals should be careful about controlling. Emotional outburst
in a workplace. It is very important to have anger management practice and keep patience to face
any unexpected situation or challenge in a professional ambience. Moreover, being too much
emotional a professional should never be judgmental too
9. Focused on the goal: A professional should remain focused on the goal and job responsibilities.
S/he must know the objectives of his profession properly and instead of being puzzled, s/he should
be crystal clear about what to do and what not to.
10. Time management: Time management is a very important characteristic of professionalism.
If one person becomes irresponsible regarding time management, it can be the reason for every
team member’s discomfort in the office. So punctual workers are always appreciated for their
professional attitude.
11. Respectfulness: Professionalism is showing respect to others. While taking interviews, giving
feedback, doing evaluation of performance, having discussion regarding any complicated issue or
any institutional failure one should talk in a way showing respect, so that no one feels disrespected.
Even the criticism should be constructive too instead of using any word that personally attacks.
12. Soft skills: A professional must have some soft skills like knowing the courtesy to address a
colleague, having effective interaction, leadership ability, team work spirit, being cooperative etc.
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Professional characteristics add beauty and standards on an individual’s behavior. An individual
who maintains professionalism is considered as an asset for an institute because s/he adds values
to the progress and successfully fulfills the institutional needs which eventually ensures long-term
success.
5.2.2 Impression Management
Impression management is a social psychology concept that refers to the process of controlling or
influencing the perceptions and attitudes of others. It is a ubiquitous aspect of human interaction
and can take many forms, from presenting ourselves in a particular way to others to trying to shape
how people view our behaviors or decisions. Understanding impression management is crucial for
effective communication and building healthy relationships, both personal and professional.
What is Impression Management?
Impression management refers to the deliberate and conscious effort to influence the perceptions
of others. It encompasses a wide range of behaviors and techniques aimed at shaping how others
view us, including:
● Self-presentation: The way we present ourselves physically and verbally to others.
● Self-promotion: Emphasizing our strengths, accomplishments, and positive traits.
● Image repair: Responding to negative feedback or events to minimize their impact on our
reputation.
● Impression management tactics: Specific techniques such as apologies, excuses, or lies
aimed at influencing the perceptions of others.
Here is an example of impression management:
A job candidate going for an interview might try to present themselves in the best light possible
to make a positive impression on the interviewer. They might choose professional attire, practise
their responses to potential questions, and try to exhibit confident body language. By doing this,
the candidate is attempting to control the interviewer’s perception of them and present
themselves as competent and capable individuals.
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This is just one example of impression management, but it can occur in many different
situations, such as in social interactions, in the workplace, or in the political arena. The goal of
impression management is usually to maintain or enhance one’s image or reputation in the eyes
of others.
Impression management is important for several reasons, including:
● Building and maintaining relationships: By presenting ourselves in a favourable light, we
can build and maintain strong relationships with others.
● Career advancement: In a professional context, creating a positive impression can help us
advance in our careers, get promotions, and build a strong network.
● Protecting our reputation: By engaging in impression management, we can protect our
reputation and minimise the impact of negative feedback or events.
● Achieving personal goals: By influencing the perceptions of others, we can achieve our
personal goals, such as making a good impression on a first date or convincing someone
to give us a job.
Types of Impression Management
There are various types of impression management, including:
● Impression Management through Self-Presentation: This type of impression management
involves presenting ourselves in a certain way to influence the perceptions of others. This
can include how we dress, speak, or carry ourselves.
● Impression Management through Communication: This type of impression management
involves using our words and actions to shape the perceptions of others. This can include
lying, making excuses, or apologising.
● Impression Management through Deception: This type of impression management
involves deliberately misleading others to shape their perceptions of us. This can include
lying about our qualifications, experiences, or achievements.
Impression management is a ubiquitous aspect of human interaction and can take many
forms in different contexts, including:
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● Personal Relationships: In personal relationships, impression management can involve
presenting ourselves in a positive light to attract romantic partners or maintain close
friendships.
● Workplace: In a professional context, impression management can involve projecting
confidence and competence to advance our careers and secure promotions.
● Political Settings: In a political context, impression management can involve presenting a
favourable image to secure support and win elections.
● Online Settings: In the digital age, impression management has taken on a new form,
with individuals using social media and other online platforms to shape their online
presence and influence the perceptions of others.
10 impression management techniques:
1. Self-promotion: Highlighting your accomplishments and skills to create a positive image
of yourself.
2. Ingratiation: Complimenting and flattering others to gain their favour and approval.
3. Conformity: Adapting your behaviour and opinions to fit in with the norms of a particular
group or situation.
4. Association: Associating yourself with individuals or groups who are viewed positively
by others.
5. Excuses: Providing justifications for negative outcomes to minimise personal
responsibility and avoid blame.
6. Apologies: Admitting fault and expressing regret to show humility and sincerity.
7. Self-handicapping: Setting up obstacles or limitations to create a potential excuse for
failure, should it occur.
8. Image reinforcement: Consistently displaying behaviours that reinforce the desired image
you want to portray.
9. Selective self-disclosure: Revealing information about yourself strategically to create a
positive impression.
10. Nonverbal communication: Utilising body language and tone of voice to convey
confidence, credibility, and likability.
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In conclusion, impression management is an essential aspect of human interaction, allowing us to
control and influence the perceptions and attitudes of others. Understanding the different forms
of impression management, their importance, and how they operate in different contexts can help
us build healthy relationships, advance our careers, and achieve our personal goals. Effective
impression management requires self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and a keen
understanding of the attitudes and perceptions of others.
5.3 Presentation Skill
Presentation is the ability to effectively engage an audience through a variety of means, including
voice, visual aids, and body language, with the goal of explaining, convincing or engaging them.
It requires organizing and delivering data in a style that is both memorable and understandable to
the audience.
Effective communication requires the ability to make presentations, which can help you succeed
in a variety of areas, from business to academia. Effective self-promotion can strengthen a person’s
career and create stronger professional relationships. Strong presentation skills can also boost
audience engagement, comprehension, and memory, which can lead to better outcomes for both
the presenter and their audience.
We’ll go through the foundations of good presentation techniques:
Preparation: Define your objective and identify your target audience. Conduct thorough research
on the topic, including gathering relevant data and examples. Organise the content in a logical and
easy-to-follow structure. Use visual aids and technology to support your presentation. Practise
your delivery, timing, and pacing to ensure a smooth presentation.
Delivery: Maintain eye contact and use body language to convey confidence and engagement.
Speak clearly and at an appropriate volume and pace. Use humour, stories, and personal anecdotes
to keep the audience engaged. Emphasise key points and use repetition to reinforce them. Handle
questions and interruptions professionally and respectfully.
Audience Engagement: Establish rapport and build a connection with your audience.
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Encourage audience participation through questions, surveys, or interactive exercises.
Use real-world examples and case studies to illustrate your points. Anticipate and address common
objections or questions the audience may have. Conclude with a clear call to action or summary
of the key takeaways.
Some key points to keep in mind while presenting-
● Outlook is a critical factor in presentations as it can create an immediate impression on
your audience. It’s important to dress appropriately and groom yourself well to convey a
professional and polished image. Your appearance should match the tone and context of
the presentation. your dress colour will depend on the presentation nature of the
presentation, your personal style, and the audience you will be presenting to. Wear more
conventional hues like black, navy, or grey if the presentation is official or business-related.
You might choose to dress in more vibrant hues or even patterns if it’s a creative
presentation. In general, it’s better to stay away from distracting or overly bright colours
because they can detract from the presentation’s substance. Choose hues that are
professional, go well with your skin tone, and give you a comfortable, confident feeling.
● Another important element of a successful presentation is confidence. You should be
confident and know your content inside and out, practise your delivery, and be comfortable
in the environment. Do not tremble or fumble; these behaviours can make you appear
unprofessional.
Eye contact is an excellent approach to connecting with your audience and expressing your
message. By maintaining eye contact with your listeners, you can convey attention and
engagement, which enhances your trustworthiness. Instead of focusing on just one person,
try to maintain eye contact with people all around the room.
● Gestures and posture can help to reinforce and engage your message. Use hand gestures to
accentuate crucial points, but don’t go overboard. Your shoulders should be back and your
head held high as you adopt a confident, erect posture. This helps you breathe more deeply,
which can reduce stress and give you a more professional appearance.
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Careful planning, a compelling presentation, constant reflection, and development are all essential
for outstanding communication abilities. You may effectively express your thoughts and establish
strong relationships with your audience by practising these techniques.
5.4 Transforming failure into success
Success can only be achieved with a positive attitude, perseverance, and action. It may be difficult
and satisfying to turn failure into achievement. The following actions can help you transform
failure into success:
1. Analyze what went wrong: Step back and consider the causes of your failure. Determine
the causes of the failure and the areas that require improvement. This will aid you in
avoiding making the same mistakes repeatedly.
2. Learn from your mistakes: Mistakes are great teachers. Make use of the opportunity to
grow and learn. Examine the circumstances and note the errors that were made. After that,
make a plan to ensure that you don’t commit the same errors in the future.
3. Set realistic goals: Feasible goals are essential for success. Divide up your goals into
smaller, more feasible ones, and then endeavour to complete each one. This will help you
gain momentum and stay motivated.
4. Stay positive: Being optimistic can help you get over failure. Do not allow your failures to
define you. Instead, make use of them as chances to develop and flourish.
5. Keep trying: Persistence is the secret key to achieving success. Don’t give up after a failure.
Keep your endeavours and drive toward your objectives. Always remember that failure is
a necessary part of the journey; it is not the opposite of success.
6. Surround yourself with supportive people: Having a support system can help you stay
motivated and positive during difficult times. Surround yourself with people who
encourage and support you, and who can help you stay on track.
7. Celebrate your successes: No matter how small they may be, celebrate each success along
the way. This can motivate you to keep going and help you gain confidence.
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You can turn failure into success and achieve your goals by completing these actions. Keep in
mind that success is a journey rather than a destination. Long-term success is achievable if you
continue to put in a lot of effort, learn from your errors, and push yourself to attain your goals.
Life will inevitably include failure, and dealing with it can be challenging. Therefore, failure can
be turned into success if it is used as a jumping-off point for development and advancement and
as a method of learning. Here are some instances of people and businesses who succeeded after
failing:
1. Thomas Edison: Edison failed thousands of times before finally inventing the light bulb.
He famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
2. J.K. Rowling: Rowling’s first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” was
rejected by 12 publishers before finally being accepted. Today, the “Harry Potter” series is
one of the best-selling book franchises in history.
3. Amazon: Amazon started out as an online bookstore, but its founder Jeff Bezos quickly
realized that the company needed to diversify in order to be successful. Today, Amazon is
a global e-commerce giant that sells everything from books to groceries.
4. Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola’s initial formula was a failure, but instead of giving up, the company
reformulated its recipe and became one of the most successful soft drink companies in the
world.
5. Michael Jordan: Jordan was famously cut from his high school basketball team, but instead
of giving up, he used the experience as motivation to work harder and eventually became
one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
6. Steve Jobs – Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, the company he co-founded, in 1985. He
went on to start NeXT Computer, which was eventually bought by Apple. Jobs returned to
Apple as CEO in 1997 and transformed the company into one of the most valuable in the
world.
These examples show that if you approach failure with the proper perspective, it may be turned
into success. You can use setbacks as opportunities for growth and achievement by utilizing failure
as motivation, learning from your mistakes, and perseverin.