Being a company spokesperson is an important role, but generally not a dramatic one. They’re usually the communications contact who issues press releases, answers media inquiries, and sometimes holds or coordinates press conferences. Typically this all happens with a very low profile. Even the press conferences are often done over the phone.
Until recently, dominance of routine described even the most public of company spokespersons, the one known as the White House press secretary. Normally, this is a functional job focused on businesslike exchanges with the media, providing detail around administration activities, and fielding questions about timely matters of policy or other goings-on. Once in a while a crisis or controversy pushes them forward, makes them a little more famous, but then they usually recede into the background just as quickly.
Things have been a little different lately
Since Donald Trump took office, however, the White House press secretary – first Sean Spicer, then Sarah Huckabee Sanders – has been square in the spotlight, receiving huge amounts of attention as they attempted, under the glare of the cameras and the world’s eyes, to explain and rationalize and justify the often bizarre slurry of petty Twitter feuds, contradictory statements, audacious falsehoods, and juvenile boasts that have emerged from this administration. They’ve had to maintain the illusion that everything is A-OK in the face of questionable hires and almost immediate dismissals, non-starting policy initiatives, indictments of inner-circle advisors, and the topsy-turvy attacks on our most loyal allies followed by the embrace of our most dreadful enemies.
From Spicer absurdly and embarrassingly claiming, against all evidence, that Trump’s 2017 swearing-in was “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, both in person and around the globe,” to Sanders struggling to sell the brazen falsehood that there is a law requiring children to be taken from their parents at the border, the past year and a half has presented us a parade of strange spectacles from the podium in the White House press room.
Is this how it is done?
The idea that the general public assumes this is an accurate illustration of a spokesperson is alarming. Those of us who have worked as spokespersons really don’t want you to think the only requirement of the job is unqualified loyalty and aggressiveness. We don’t want young people coming up in the field to think that protecting the boss, no matter what the cost, is the first and only priority. We don’t want you to imagine, “This is how spokespersoning is done.”
Because actually, no, this is not how spokespersoning is done. Not at all.
There are ethical roadmaps for my profession – and for Spicer and Sanders. These guidelines help us understand how we should do our work, and the standards we should apply. You can find clearly written codes of ethics from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and – how relevant – the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC).
Five key rules
Let’s take a look at five of the most important rules for being a spokesperson.
No.1: Be honest, always
The IABC leads off their code of ethics with, “I am honest… I communicate accurate information.” They observe that your behavior reflects on all of us: “My actions bring respect for and trust in the communication profession.” That’s the bedrock on which everything else is built.
The NAGC places equal emphasis on the truth, as it addresses honesty in the introduction, even before their code of ethics proper begins. “We believe that truth is sacred,” they write. No equivocation there at all; there is nothing more important in their field.
The PRSA as well expects adherence “to the highest standards of accuracy and truth.” In the end you don’t advance the interests of those you represent if you lie and mislead on their behalf, because all you are doing in the long term is destroying trust in both yourself and in them.
When Spicer doubled down on his wild claims of record-breaking crowds at Trump’s inaugural, he destroyed the credibility – on the first day of the new administration! – of both himself and his boss, and announced to the entire world that Trump was petty and narcissistic enough to insist on receiving unearned honors over something that was not, in the grand scheme of things, all that important. It was a dismal beginning.
No.2: Correct mistakes
Everyone gets it wrong sometimes. Every spokesperson has gone public with something that is inaccurate, whether because they misunderstood the data, or they failed to verify with an additional source, or someone – maybe even a trusted leader – gave them false information. When this happens you must update the record.
“Promptly correct any errors,” notes the IABC code. PRSA expects its members to “Act promptly to correct erroneous communications for which the member is responsible.” And NAGC directs its members to “dedicate themselves to the timely release of factual and accurate information… and take swift and effective action to prevent the public release of false or misleading information.”
What would have happened had Sanders later claimed she was “not provided complete information,” and then issued a correction, after she falsely said that Donald Jr alone wrote that note about meeting Russians in Trump Tower; or falsely said that Barack Obama had Trump wiretapped; or falsely said diversity visa immigrants are not vetted; or falsely said that Trump had no knowledge of the money Michael Cohen paid to Stormy Daniels? For starters, she might have gotten the benefit of the doubt, retained her integrity, and regained some of her lost credibility.
Spokespersons get the opportunity to correct the record. That opportunity should always be taken.
No.3: You also serve the public
PRSA explicitly makes the point that you are serving two masters, not just one: “We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring our obligation to serve the public interest.” They make it clear that you must apply those high standards of accuracy not only in advancing the interests of your boss or client, but also those of the public.
(If the interests of your boss are not compatible with the interests of the public that is a major red flag that something may be seriously wrong where you work.)
The NAGC says about this, “We believe that providing public information is an essential civil service; and that each citizen has a right to equal, full, understandable, and timely facts.” A spokesperson, they say, should “ensure their conduct serves the public interest and promotes transparency and accountability of government.”
This is an important acknowledgement: yes, you are providing professional support, counsel, and representation for a client or a boss or an organization, and your remit is to serve their objectives. But not at the cost of misleading the public. Because that can do significant damage, to all involved.
This is a point intimately understood by those who have served as White House press secretaries for previous administrations.
“Sanders does work for Donald Trump, but she also works for us,” notes Joe Lockhart, who served as Bill Clinton’s spokesperson. “She works for everybody who pays taxes. If you can’t do the minimal requirements of the job, you become complicit in the lie and in the degradation of the podium, the White House, the office of the president and ultimately the democracy.”
“The thing that no one can fully appreciate until you’re in the job is that you’re representing the American people,” Sean Spicer has said, looking back on his mistakes. “And when you screw up… it’s not just on you.”
No.4: The world is a diverse place
I could get in front of a large crowd and talk about what a delicious, aromatic herb cilantro is. But approximately 15% of that crowd is likely to have the genetic quirk that causes cilantro to taste terrible to them, like rancid soap. We’ll both be correct in how we perceive cilantro’s impact on us.
As a spokesperson, you need to understand that there is no universal shared experience, and any decision or action is likely to have quite different consequences for different people. And people have the right to those experiences, and also the right to talk about it, publicly. “I am sensitive to others’ cultural values and beliefs,” says the IABC code of ethics, with this diversity in mind. “I support the ideals of free speech, freedom of assembly, and access to an open marketplace of ideas.”
Likewise, PRSA states: “We respect all opinions and support the right of free expression.” They hold as a core principle that “protecting and advancing the free flow of accurate and truthful information is essential to serving the public interest and contributing to informed decision-making in a democratic society.” Note that the free flow of information could be in any direction, from any source.
With a nod to the political sensitivities of their field, the NAGC code states that they will “not allow personal beliefs, prejudices, or emotions to influence their professional conduct.” Also forbidden is intentionally withholding information that is publicly releasable, which for a spokesperson is equivalent to misrepresentation. PRSA explicitly condemns lying by omission.
No.5: Lines sometimes have to be drawn
Many have watched Spicer and Sanders struggle to walk increasingly thin ethical and professional paths, and felt sympathy. People notice that Trump often says things that are untrue and then expects his spokesperson to echo him. They see that Trump demands unflinching loyalty. They read numerous reports about how he is both loathe to admit an error (whether intentional or accidental), and furious when an underling admits an error on his behalf. People may think: these spokespersons couldn’t actually follow these codes of conduct, if they did they would lose their job.
This is always the dilemma for an ethical professional who is asked to do unethical things.
(I’m fortunate, in that I work for an organization that understands the essential value of integrity. It provides channels for reporting corrupt or unethical behavior, and wants us to use them no matter who might be the problem. They know that their brand reputation is much more important than any one person.)
My suggested response is pretty straightforward. If your boss or client comes to you and wants you to represent them by doing or saying something dishonest, or you feel is in some way unethical or harmful to others, or – possibly – illegal, deal with it in several steps:
First, if you are a trusted counselor, explain your concerns to the boss or client and also remind them that consequences for this could harm them and their interests. Suggest alternatives. As a business communicator, you are professionally and ethically obligated to give them your best counsel, especially when you fear a negative impact. Maybe they just haven’t thought it all through.
While you can give good counsel, they may not accept it. If they insist on going down the original path, and you wish to have no part in it, recuse yourself. Arrange to pass the responsibilities onto someone else who may not share your concerns. This is not insubordinate; you are not preventing the requested activities from happening. You are just not participating personally.
If your boss tries to force your compliance, or if these activities are becoming more frequent, or if you decide that your client’s core activities are antithetical to your values, you may have to accept that moving on is the only option. At the end of the day your personal integrity is the one thing you should never be willing to discard, because once it is gone it is incredibly hard to win back.
Walter Shaub, the former head of the US Office on Government Ethics, who repeatedly clashed with the new Trump administration over ethics violations, had a three-part checklistto help him decide when it was time to go:
- Can I perform the mission effectively? If yes, then…
- Can I perform my job ethically and morally? If yes, then…
- Can I tell the truth?
Shaub resigned in July 2017 after serving under three presidents.
Update 20 April 2019: With the release of the Mueller Report, we have learned that when testifying under oath Sarah Sanders admitted that she lied to the media and to the public about a variety of topics, including – and especially – about the firing of FBI Director James Comey. Notably, as soon as the Report was released, Sanders started making the rounds of the media and since she was no longer under oath began lying about the testimony about the previous lies. Her lack of ethics and professionalism is breathtaking.
Originally published on LinkedIn on 17 June 2018.