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Business ethics discussions - the new rules of B2B communications

Two good sessions are coming up in Sacramento on business ethics - one on Oct 20th and one on Nov 18th. They're listed from most to least important (Elisabeth's talk will be twice as good as mine) - which turns out to be reverse chronological order. Turn the monitor over and read upside down, and you'll have it straight.

Nov 18h: "Moral Courage & Ethical Decisions" at eWomen Network

business ethicsElisabeth Brinton will give a talk on Moral Courage & Ethical Decisions at November 18th eWomen forum. Registration

Brinton was recently named one of the "Women Who Mean Business", 2008 Business Women of the Year award winners for the Sacramento region by the Business Journal. She serves as an appointed official in Governor Schwarzenegger's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities, helping in job creation and equal opportunity for all California citizens.

Here is part of the talk's description:

As businesswomen and leaders we have the opportunity to address the need of our times: re-establishing moral courage and ethical leadership. Each of us has the opportunity to lead by example...

Oct 20th: "The New Rules of B2B Business Communications: Business Ethics and the Rise of Business Blogging" at CSUS

Center for Practical and Profesional EthicsI'll lead a discussion the week after next at the CSUS Symposium on Personal and Professional Integrity in Business. It's a day-long event on the Sacramento State University campus, in the Hinde Auditorium of the University Union. Here's a campus and parking map.

The keynote is 9:30-10:50 a.m. by Dr. Edwin Hartman, Stern School of Business, New York University, on "Aristotle on Character and Integrity"

My session runs 3:00-4:15 p.m. Session III - title: "The New Rules of Business Communications - Business Ethics and the Rise of Business Blogs"

The new rules of corporate communication

Building on the popular ideas in the book "The New Rules of PR" by David Meerman Scott, I'll try to describe "New Rules of Corporate Communications." Roughly, the idea (not originating with me - credits below) is that, unlike a few years ago, in today's world corporate communicators should:

  • Be an individual with a personality, not a unit with a title
  • Speak in a real, authentic voice... be vulnerable (credit: D.M. Scott)
  • Invite dialogue and improvements
  • Avoid patronizing guru-speak (credit: Tom Pick)
  • Zap jargon and double-speak before it starts (like gingivitis!)
  • Don't be boring (this has nothing to do with ethics. Just don't be boring.)

I'll use 3 examples as a jumping off point for group discussion of the relationship between professional ethics and the New Rules of Corporate Communications.

More info

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