Ethics and Public Speaking

• Ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos which means

character.
• Little has changed since Aristotle's day; audience members still
expect speakers to be honest , respectful, knowledgeable, and to
have organized delivery of reasonable thoughts.
Conti…
In public speaking, as in other areas of life, there are
standards for ethical conduct.
The goal of public speaking is to get a desired response
from the listener.
Speechmaking is a form of power and therefore carries
with it heavy ethical responsibilities.
The importance of Ethics
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with
issues of right and wrong in human affairs.
Questions of ethics arise whenever we ask whether a
course of action is moral or immoral , fair or unfair,
just or unjust, honest or dishonest.
Guidelines For Ethical Speaking
Make sure your goals are ethically sound
Be fully prepared for each speech
Be honest in what you say
Avoid name calling and other forms of abusive
language