Truth versus falsehood. How detectable is lying, deception, or ignorance that produces misinformation or disinformation? Are audiences deceived by what they read, see, or hear in the media about food and nutrition? Does it matter?
Yes, whether our communication is true or false matters. Can audiences tell the difference? Not always. Falsehood can be deceptively believable. Falsehoods can spread quickly and do a great deal of damage.
Would you agree… amidst all the misinformation and disinformation in the media and on social media, being an effective communicator requires integrity?
This post is the fourth in a series examining the qualities and skills needed to be an effective communicator. These are qualities and skills that can be learned and improved with practice.
They are discussed in the first edition of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide and as we approach a revision of this book, this series will help begin the process of revisiting and expanding on these fundamentals.
The first post introduced the series by asking the question: What qualities and skills are needed to be an effective communicator?
The second post discussed the importance of being genuinely courteous, gracious, and respectful.
The third post explored the importance of being flexible and teachable.
This post looks at the importance of demonstrating integrity and responsibility.
What is integrity and how does it relate to being an effective communicator?
Integrity is being honest, ethical, and moral. When a communicator displays integrity, they can be trusted. When a communicator is trusted, audiences are willing to attend to their messages, believe what they communicate, and act upon them with confidence. Integrity leads to effective communication.
Credentialled food and nutrition professionals follow a Code of Ethics for the profession. A previous post outlined the ethics principles of greatest concern when communicating nutrition. These include communicating accurate and nonbiased information, respecting individuals, using credentials appropriately, and disclosing any potential conflicts of interest.
Exposing false information is an ongoing challenge for nutrition communicators and is best handled with honesty and respect. This includes helping audiences separate fact from fiction and identify common misconceptions.
When we empower audiences to seek credible sources of information and to recognize professional, ethical practice, we enable truth to be communicated and falsehood to be exposed.
In addition to demonstrating integrity, an effective nutrition communicator shows themselves to be responsible.
What is responsibility and how does it relate to being an effective communicator?
Responsibility is being accountable, resourceful, and self-disciplined. In other words, you are reliable.
Can you be counted on? Do you have the self-discipline to follow through on what you say?
Like integrity, when a communicator demonstrates responsibility, they earn an audience’s trust. Trust in you as the source of communication leads to the audience paying attention, seeking to understand, and taking action. It leads to effective communication.
Responsibility begins with responsive communication: Listening, acknowledging receipt of information, providing timely feedback, and providing requested information. The opposite of being responsive is being “Mr. E.” otherwise known as a mystery (mister-e), or no communication.
Responsibility also entails taking our communication role seriously. Are we consistent and timely in our communication? When others need to know something, are we ready to provide the needed information? Complete yet concise, without hidden agendas or biases, tailored to the audience? A responsible communicator is an effective communicator.
Are you known to have integrity and responsibility? In next week’s post, we will discuss the qualities that demonstrate strong interpersonal skills.
"Creating a culture of integrity and accountability not only improves effectiveness, it also generates a respectful, enjoyable and life-giving setting in which to work." ~ Tom Hanson
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