crisis - EthicalVoices

Why Communicators Deserve the Same Privilege as Lawyers

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • October 20, 2025 • 0 Comments

This week on EthicalVoices, Amie Hoffner, Vice President of Corporate Communications at American Dairy Queen Corporation, shares why communicators need the same protections as lawyers — and how to stay ethical when the lines between PR, marketing, and media blur. She discusses:

1) Why communicators should have the same legal protections as lawyers

2) How to avoid “on background” disasters

3) Why trusting your gut isn’t enough

4) How to counsel executives in media interviews

5) Why crisis simulations should include an ethical dilemma

What to Do When Your Employer Lies to You and Your Bosses Issue Conflicting Orders: Felicia Blow, PhD, APR

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • February 7, 2022 • 1 Comment

What to Do When Your Employer Lies to You and Your Bosses Issue Conflicting Orders: Felicia Blow, APR

first interviewed Felicia Blow, APR, almost two years ago. She was one of my first 15 interviews for the blog and podcast. This year she is the 2022 National Chair or PRSA, so I thought it made sense to revisit the interview.

She discusses a number of important topics including:

• How to make the ethical choice when your bosses issue conflicting orders
• What to do when your employer lies to you
• New areas of PR ethics concerns
• The best ethics advice she ever received

Truth is a Negotiated Reality – Jeff Hahn

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • June 28, 2021 • 0 Comments

Jeff Hahn, the owner and principal of Hahn Public, discusses ethics and Breaking Bad News: The Definitive Crisis Communication Guide for Brands.

He also discusses several important ethics issues, including:

1) Why truth is just a negotiated reality

2) How to successfully nudge people into their proper swim lanes

3) Demystifying crisis communication

Respond, Don’t React to Unethical Behavior – Kami Huyse

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • June 14, 2021 • 0 Comments

Kami Huyse, the CEO of Zoetica, a social media agency, who for me was first and best known as @kamichat discusses a number of important ethics issues including:

1) Why you need to respond and not react to unethical behavior
2) What one question should you ask friends facing difficult situations?

3) Why ethical PR people act like ombudsmen

4) What is the best thing PR pros can do in difficult situations?

Don’t Confuse Doing the Right Thing with Being Seen Doing the Right Thing – Jim Hoggan

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • May 17, 2021 • 0 Comments

Jim Hoggan, a bestselling author, president of Hoggan & Associates, and founder of DeSmog discusses a number of key topics including:

1) Don’t confuse doing the right thing with being seen doing the right thing

2) Why even if you are right, you can be in the wrong

3) The ethical dangers of tribalism

4) The heart vs. the mind

Your Company is Accused of Making People Sick. Now What? – Ken Hunter

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • December 7, 2020 • 0 Comments

Ken Hunter, the President and Chief Strategist at The PowerStation and a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University. He discusses a number of important issues, including

1) What to do ethically when your company is accused of making people sick

2) How to make ethical issues seem less like personal attacks

3) What to do when your boss makes unethical promises

4) Dealing with media bias

The Rising Threat of Disinformation for Hire: Special Interview with Buzzfeed News’ Craig Silverman

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • February 3, 2020 • 2 Comments

Disinformation for Hire: A Special EthicalVoices interview with Craig Silverman of Buzzfeed News

Joining me on this week’s episode is Craig Silverman, a reporter at Buzzfeed, who along with two of his colleagues in January wrote one of the most chilling articles I have read in a while, “Disinformation for Hire: How a New Breed of PR Firms is Selling Lies Online”. I wanted to have him as a guest to discuss the article and its implications for communication professionals and society.

What to Do When Your Boss Asks You To Spread Dirt on a Competitor – Jessica Graham

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • January 27, 2020 • 1 Comment

Jessica Graham, APR, Fellow PRSA, discusses with EthicalVoices what to do when your boss asks you to spread dirt on a competitor

Jessica Graham, president of Fionix Consulting discusses what to do when your boss asks you to spread dirt on a competitor, how to ethically handle a public health crisis, what we can learn from the Rotary Club and other ethical issues.

This Week in PR Ethics: 1/23/2020: Corporate Ethics Gap, Disinformation and Cheating is Not Condoned

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • January 23, 2020 • 0 Comments

Today starts a new chapter in EthicalVoices. Every Thursday I will share ethical issues of the week. The objective is to highlight key issues for educators to use in their classrooms and professionals to use in their organizations.

This week we look at the corporate ethics gap, disinformation and how cheating is not condoned.

Ethical Challenges with the Growing Cancel Culture – Paul Omodt

By Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA • January 20, 2020 • 0 Comments

Paul Omodt, the principal of Omodt and Associates and crisis expert discusses a number of key ethics issues, including:

1) Why speed is not always your ally
2) Ethical challenges with the growing “cancel culture”
3) How to seek forgiveness for an ethical lapse
4) How one man gained forgiveness after saying the N word and losing his job

Category: crisis