Communication is one of the most important aspects of human life as helps in building relationships and conveying important messages to an individual or a group of people. Communication is not only important at the individual level but also at the organizational level. The communication system mainly determines the success of a business. Ineffective communication can fail in a business, mainly due to misunderstanding or confusions. Importantly, businesses need ethical communication to prosper. Failure to adhere to ethical communication can lead to severe adverse effects on a firm's reputation, public image, and morals. Thus, businesses should adhere to communication ethics, which focuses on the moral good in any form of communication. Communication ethics is not only restricted to interpersonal interaction but also other areas such as digital communication. Unfortunately, communication ethics is always lacking in the code of ethics or conduct that are formulate and implemented by many businesses, even though it is critical to the success of businesses ( Misselbrook, 2013) . Ethical communication should be based on sensitivity, openness, responsibility, curiosity, and acting with the best interest of others.
The categorical imperative that was developed by Immanuel Kant is one of the ethical theories that can be used to explain and understand the importance of communication ethics, particularly in the current business environment. The categorical imperative theory is based on the notion that people should not only act or behave to serve their interests but also the interest of other people as well ( Misselbrook, 2013) . Kant encouraged people not be selfish by taking actions that benefit other as much as they also gain from the same action. According to the ethical theory, human decision and actions should not purely be based on personal interests. On the contrary, it is essential to factor in the interests of other in any decision that is made. The categorical imperative theory acts as universal law and it is regarded as one of the most reasonable and ethical theory that human beings should use as guideline or framework that guide their daily activities and actions.
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Kant's viewpoint or theory should guide the principles of communication ethics. Therefore, ethical communication should be based on the joint interest of the communicator and the person receiving the message or information. People should always show the willingness to respect and explore the joint interests of others when they are communicating or making presentation rather than focusing on their objectives ( Swenson-Lepper, 2005) . At the same time, while communicating, it is important to give others the opportunity also to express their views and interests during the communication process. For instance, a manager should not dominate communication while communicating with subordinates by expressing his or her views without paying attention to the view and interests o junior staff. As a result, organizations should use the principle of joint interest while formulating and executing communication ethics in the workplace. Communication in the workplace should benefit all parties, including managers and subordinates.
To enhance ethical communication, people should always act with curiosity. Communication ethics should be based on respecting and embracing divergent views of all people. Individuals should not take their views as the only truth. Conversely, to adhere to the universal law that was proposed by Kant, they should recognize the fact that other people’s view can contradict or challenge their viewpoints ( Sodeke, Turner & Tarver, 2010) . Therefore, people should always remain open-minded when communicating with one another. Also, it is essential to seek clarification during the communication process to understand one another and avoid miscommunication. In connection to curiosity is acting with openness when communicating. Based on the principle of the categorical imperative, people should not withhold information that is crucial to others when communicating (Donaldson, 2017). Ethical communicator should be willing to share all necessary information with others without using it for his or her advantage. It is possible for management responsibility can hinder a manager from sharing some crucial information with employees. Nevertheless, to serve the interests of employees, the manager should employ why such information is kept secret.
Ethical communicators should be sensitive to the emotions of other people. Information should be conveyed in such a way that it does not hurt the emotions of others. Also, people should avoid violent communication techniques, which may result in emotional tension. Communication should not elicit negative emotional state ( Swenson-Lepper, 2005) . Ethical communication does not involve transferring personal negativity to others while communicating. Ethical communicators act with responsibility by not blaming others for their own mistakes. On the contrary, ethical communication means taking responsibility for what is said. For example, a manager should not blame junior employees after sending wrong or inaccurate information. At the same time, employees should own up to their communication errors. Therefore, communication should not be self-centered but should be sensitive to the interests and views of other people.
The categorical imperative theory provides a theoretical background that can help organizations to develop their ethical communication. The framework is based on the principle that communication should not be dominated by an individual or a given group of people. People in an organization should not be allowed to use communication to achieve their personal interest, goals, and objectives at the expense of others ( Lipari, 2017) . Communication should not benefit individuals. The framework is also based on the principle of mutual respect and understandings, particularly by knowing what is right and wrong. Although a manager can sometimes dominate communication and want subordinates to adhere to a particular decision, he or she should not dictate what is to be done. The manager should acknowledge that views of employees can sometimes be right. On the other hand, employees should also respect decisions that are made by the management.
In conclusion, businesses can rarely succeed in effective communication. Almost all activities that are done in the workplace involve community between employees and other stakeholders such as customers and suppliers. Besides, the success of companies relies on the quality of their customer services, which cannot be achieved without ethical communication. Conflicts that are emerging in the workplace can adequately be addressed through ethical communication. As a result, it is important for all organization to have communication ethics integrated into the code of conduct or business ethics. Having communication ethics is not enough as it should be based on a sound theoretical framework. Categorical imperative that was formulated by Kant emphasizes the need for mutual respect and being sensitive to the interest of others. Communication ethics, therefore, should be based on this framework to avoid issues that may be linked to misunderstanding or failure to follow instruction. It is essential for communication to benefit all parties, regardless of their position in the organization.
References
Donaldson, C. M. (2017). Using Kantian ethics in medical ethics education. Medical Science Educator , 27 (4), 841-845.
Lipari, L. (2017). Communication ethics . Retrieved from http://oxfordre.com/communication/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acr efore-9780190228613-e-58
Misselbrook, D. (2013). Duty, Kant, and deontology. British Journal General Practice , 63 (609), 211-211.
Sodeke, S., Turner, T., & Tarver, W. (2010). The ethics of good communication in a complex research partnership. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved , 21 (3), 35-45.
Swenson-Lepper, T. (2005). Ethical sensitivity for organizational communication issues: Examining individual and organizational differences. Journal of Business Ethics , 59 (3), 205-231.
