Scholars have long asserted that public relations (PR) professionals should play the role of organizational conscience, but little research has focused on why and how they play this role effectively. We found that PR professionals who played the role of organizational conscience had broadened conceptions of their roles and responsibilities, including a fervent duty to the public interest. This often put them in the position of providing criticism to powerful organizational players. Rather than raising their ethical concerns as persuasive orators, (...) they used subtle, resourceful, and experiential approaches to persuasion. Playing the role of organizational conscience typically necessitated gaining access to informal coalitions since access to dominant power coalitions often was limited or late. Organizations with participative cultures supported the role of organizational conscience. (shrink)

The 2017 Commission on Public Relations Education report found new professionals are not meeting employers’ expectations regarding ethics knowledge, skills and abilities. This mixed-method s...

Guided by theories of moral psychology and social identity, one hundred and fifty-three public relations practitioners working in the United States participated in an online experiment that tested...

Crucible experiences are essential in the development of leaders. Crucibles refer to trials and challenges that test and mold the character, values and behavior of leaders. Through in-depth interviews with 32 public relations leaders, we examined how crucible experiences specifically shaped them to practice servant leadership. Through the narratives they constructed about these experiences, we were able to learn specific details about these experiences, the lessons they gleaned and how they shaped and transformed their character, virtues and leadership style. These (...) insights matter, because public relations leaders have the potential to serve as ethical role models for their employees and colleagues. (shrink)

The Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) found that early-career professionals are not meeting their supervisors’ expectations in ethics knowledge. The purpose of this study was to identify what ethics competencies public relations practitioners perceive are essential and how they evaluate themselves and their colleagues regarding mastery of these competencies. The study surveyed 314 U.S. public relations and communication practitioners and revealed they perceive the most important ethics competencies to be integrity, leadership and critical thinking. Other valued competencies included a (...) personal code of ethics or values system and ability to identify ethical issues. Early-career professionals were overconfident regarding their mastery of these skills and abilities, while mid-career and senior professionals were modest in their self-assessments. Practitioners who have obtained accreditation/certifications had more confidence in their preparedness to provide ethics counsel and engaged in ethics counseling more frequently. Recommendations for enhancing personal ethics competencies are provided. (shrink)