Deliberation Overview
This deliberation was begun on Thursday, April 2, 2009
This history was compiled on Sunday, November 22, 2009
Describe the Situation
I have just been asked to write a press release about the resignation of one of our top executives. I work for a large insurance company that provides coverage for corporations. Yesterday, company officials discovered that Dan Reel -- who has worked for the company for 22 years, has a wife and four children and is a respected member of the community and his church -- was rigging insurance bids and taking higher fees than necessary from clients. My CEO has told me what Reel did will eventually result in a lawsuit, but for now I must write a release that says he is resigning to spend more time with his family and explore other opportunities. I want to write that he resigned because of a work-related issue -- not naming the problem because that is protected -- so when the lawsuit is filed, the company won’t look like it was hiding something. The CEO rejects the idea and says companies send out releases about “resignations” like this all the time. Should I honor the CEO’s wishes because “everyone else” does this?
Consequences Framework
Chosen standard for evaluating consequences:
Serving the Public Interest
This standard is most appropriate because:
All of the ethics codes related to Public Relations emphasize that this is our most important, general goal. Of course, it's our job to present our clients in the best possible light. But if we lie for our clients or engage in excessive coverup, the public will never believe anything we say, and that doesn't help our clients or their potential customers.
Chosen course of action:
I could include a letter with the VNRs that would give general instruction on how to appropriately give credit to the creators of the VNRs without being offensive about it.
This action fulfills my chosen standard because:
It is my job as a public relations representative to ensure that I provide all of the information. Although I cannot take responsibility for the media's actions if I were to include a letter with the information so they had everything they needed to give credit where credit was due I believe I would be serving the public interest to the best of my ability.
This action is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will be able to do this action.
Other alternatives explored using the Consequences Framework:
I could include a letter with the VNRs that would give general instruction on how to appropriately give credit to the creators of the VNRs without being offensive about it.
Consequences: The positive consequence to this action is that it could offer the TV station the information to give credit where credit is due without offending them. The negative consequence to this action would be if they decided that they were not going to show the clip because the credit had not been approved or they felt that my company was simply trying to get some free advertising by instructing them on how to give us credit for our work.
Explanation: It is my job as a public relations representative to ensure that I provide all of the information. Although I cannot take responsibility for the media's actions if I were to include a letter with the information so they had everything they needed to give credit where credit was due I believe I would be serving the public interest to the best of my ability.
Notes: This option would provide all of the information the media needed to give credit where credit is due and would leave the ultimate decision up to them.
Agree with Honor Code: yes
I could suggest adding a tagline to the beginning or end of the VNR that states the source so it would be obvious where it came from.
Consequences: The positive consequence to this action is that it shows my company that I am thinking about our best interests. The negative consequence to this action is that the company may simply shut me down and I would not be able to do anything to address what I feel is an issue.
Notes: This would allow the public to see exactly where the information came from so if they had questions or concerns they could bring them directly to the source.
I could talk to my boss and see if they feel the same way that I do. There is a chance that this does not bother them and they would rather get their clients on TV then get credit for the VNR.
Consequences: Again the positive consequence to this action is that it shows my company that I am thinking about our best interests and wanted to bring it to their attention before I took action without permission. The negative consequence to this action would also be that my company didn't agree with me and I couldn't do anything about it.
Notes: My boss may possibly see the situation in a different light then I do and speaking with him/her could provide some insight that I didn't have before.
Duties Framework
I have judged that the most dutiful conduct in my situation is:
I need to write the press release that identifies a "work-related issue" as the cause of the resignation.
This action is most dutiful because:
The biggest worry is that this is somehow "mean" to Reel. However, he's the one who engaged in business misconduct. I'm not divulging any protected information, but it's my job to promote the company. It was his job to serve the company too, and he violated that trust. I'm really just making the best of a bad situation. The public will find out sooner or later.
Anyone would be obligated to perform this action because:
It's the duty of PR professionals to engage in communication that is truthful, accurate and fair. That's what we do. I can understand why the CEO is worried. But I also know that I'm setting the stage for future press releases our company will need to distribute.
This alternative is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will be able to do this action.
Ranking of specific duties explored using this framework:
Virtue Framework
An action that will exhibit the most virtuous traits is:
I've got to write the release that identifies a "work related issue." The only motivation against that is fear...and that's not a trait I want to exhibit. Plus, if I just do what my CEO wants because "everybody does it" I'll be training myself to live with dishonesty. It's easy to see how this job could erode my character if I don't stick to my best traits here.
This is the action that an ideally virtuous person would do because:
An ideally virtuous person would know how to balance all the competing interests in this job. I don't know if I ever get it exactly right, but I'm trying. And in this case I'm sure that a misleading press release is actively thwarting the public interest.
This alternative is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will be able to do this action.