Topic 3: Oral Communication & Presentation Skills
Lesson 5: Communication Ethics and Overcoming Barriers
Ethical and effective oral communication requires not only skill but also integrity and an awareness of common pitfalls.
Unethical Practices in Communication:
- Plagiarism: Presenting another person’s ideas or words as your own.
- Propaganda and Bias: Deliberately manipulating information to deceive or unfairly influence an audience.
- Fallacies: Using flawed logic or misleading arguments (e.g., personal attacks, hasty generalizations).
- Withholding Information: Intentionally omitting critical facts that would alter understanding.
- Misrepresentation: Exaggerating or distorting the truth.
Guidelines for Ethical Communication:
- Be Honest and Truthful.
- Give Credit to Sources.
- Respect Confidentiality.
- Communicate with Integrity: Avoid manipulation and deceit.
- Be Inclusive and Respectful of diverse perspectives.
Cross-Cultural Communication Considerations:
- Cognitive Constraints: Different worldviews and frames of reference.
- Behavioral Constraints: Varying norms for eye contact, gestures, and personal space.
- Emotional Constraints: Cultural differences in the display and interpretation of emotions.
- Language and Accent Differences: Can lead to simple misunderstandings.
When to Prefer Oral Over Written Communication:
- When immediate feedback is needed.
- When the message is sensitive or confidential.
- When persuasion or motivation is the goal.
- When building or maintaining a personal relationship is important.
- When the situation is complex and requires discussion to resolve.
Final Note: Mastering oral communication, presentations, and listening transforms an individual from a mere participant into an influential leader, an effective team member, and a trusted professional capable of driving results through the power of spoken interaction.