Free Essay On Ethical Interpersonal Communication

While ethics and interpersonal communications are not normally spoken of or considered as being meaningful to one another, in reality; they are intimately connected and relevant. The reason for this is that from the time we are born till we die, interpersonal communications or how we share information with one another is a basic fact of life. As such, society has developed values with respect to both the right and wrong ways that can share information. To be sure, since interpersonal communication is so necessary to life, whether we share information rightfully, or ethically, will have a significant effect on how we live our lives. Naturally, ethics are not laws; and people are free to choose which ethical values in interpersonal communications that they want to abide by or follow. My personal choices are as follows.
First, and foremost, being courteous is an essential aspect of all interpersonal communications. Being courteous has a number of benefits for the sharing of information and the development of relationships that are one goal of interpersonal relations. Primarily, being courteous puts others at ease. This is especially true in the circumstance were two parties do not know each other at first. When people are at ease, they are more likely to want to share information and listen to or consider the information that others are communicating. Indeed, generally, rude people are avoided by others Second, being courteous increases the potential of people wanting to share information with each other in the future.
Second, when sharing information with others one must always strive to be accurate and honest with the facts, data and information that one is communication. This is true whether it involves communications as intense as trying to persuade some to do something they do not want to do or as simple as what they watched on television the night before. This is important because it facilitates integrity not only in the communications but also a belief in others of one’s own integrity. It is natural that people will mistrust others that are found to misrepresent information. In fact, misrepresentation is both wrong under civil and criminal laws. Such lack of integrity damages interpersonal communications both from an individual and community perspective. For instance, a politician that knowingly mispresents facts will not likely be elected; and a government that misrepresents facts can end up fighting wars that they should not.
Third, one should allow others to have the fair say if they so choose. This aspect of interpersonal communications, emphasizes and facilitates equality in communications. That is to say it invites others to voice their opinions with the understanding that a diversity of opinion can never be a bad. This is especially true in that the goal of interpersonal communication is the sharing of information. If others are silenced or fear that they will be silenced that that is less information that can be shared.
Fourth, when listening to others, one should avoid dismissing or praising without reason. To dismiss in such a manner risks, as mentioned above, they chance that the speaker will feel hurt or angry and withdraw providing information or otherwise acting in interpersonal communications. To praise, in such as manner risks that false or flawed information will become the truth and the speaker of such information will not need to be accurate or honest with their facts. On the other hand, if there is reason, such as accuracy or inaccuracy, than dismissal or praise may be justified.
Lastly, it is important that one admit when one is wrong. As mentioned, honest, accuracy, courtesy and integrity are all important aspects for rightful interpersonal communications. Admission of fault combines all those aspects into one. It voluntarily corrects inaccuracies, it increases the integrity of interpersonal communications and it facilitates the possibility of further communications.
Interpersonal communications are necessary to how one lives, works, and plays. Naturally, there are both right and wrong ways to go about communicating. Some of the most fundamentally rightful way to interpersonally communicate includes being courteous, accurate, open and flexible to others opinions and information, while dismissing or praising those opinions only with reason, as well as admitting when one’s own information should be dismissed. These five elements of interpersonal communications go a long way into allowing the sharing of information and the maintenance of the relationships that that information sharing helps build.