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Dilbert-company employees know the exact calibration of corporate
dishonesty."
An organization's ethics flow from the top down and back up
again, and permeates throughout the company mindset. A stranger off

the street can sniff it out just by walking in the door. Nothing is hidden,
especially in this wired age where news — especially bad news —
gushes in an instant.

These matters must preoccupy the devoted PR professional.
We might remember, too, that public relations is a two way street:
not only do we represent our organization to the public, but we must also
present the public back to our organization. We should help our

colleagues understand how the public perceives our actions.
Just like little Jiminy Crickets, public relations professionals are
often the conscience of a company. It’s not always a popular spot to be

in, but it is our duty. It's what we're paid to do. And, as we sometimes
confess to one another, it's what we largely love most about our job.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. What is the main idea of the text?
2. Why do some people see public relations professionals as

manipulators of the public mind, rather than conveyors of truth?
3. Do you agree that what we are is a composite of our daily decisions,
thoughts and actions, large and small?
4. Comment on the following statement: "The truth matters. Loyalty

matters. Lies matter. Values matter. You know a Dilbert company
the minute you walk into it. Dilbert-company employees know the
exact calibration of corporate dishonesty."

5. Why does the author claim that PR is a two-way street?
6. Why is The Public Relations department frequently the ethical heart
of an organization?
7. When and where was the International Public Relations

Association Code of Conduct adopted?
8. Is ethical PR an oxymoron nowadays? Why /why not?
9. What ethical dilemmas can PR face?

10. Summarize the text.