Ethics - lessons from journalism - Learning Notes

Many regular readers will know that I used to be an amateur journalist. I studied a Media course, spent some time editing a local backwater newspaper and spent some time writing local news articles. I also published zines, magazine, newspapers and digital local news back in the early 2000's.

Hardly a career in journalism, but I've carried what I studied, learned and experienced into my work in business. And it's been mightily helpful.

Well, it's a pleasure to share some notes on one aspect of journalism that is SO needed in the modern workplace; ethics.

Today's learning notes comes from a book called Essential Radio Journalism by Paul Chantler. (Affiliate link)

I was reading it for my work as a podcaster, to see what lessons I could bring across from radio journalism. When reading it though, it reminded me of much of my own learning and experience, and of course, some valuable lessons in work.

I am an experienced executive in tech and HR, and so the ethics section felt like one I needed to double down on again - and see how I could cross pollenate my HR experience, my own moral stance and lessons from journalism.

As you can see in the Learning Notes, there are some very clear buckets of ideas that we could all learn from. I've added my own comments, adjuncts and references to the notes.

Suffice to say it starts with the truth, and there are often at least three sides to any encounter, story or incident: one person's view, the other person's view and what actually happened.

You need good notes, you need to ask critical questions, you need fact checking, you need fairness and impartiality, you need to embrace diversity, hold your behavioural integrity and deal with privacy. Sounds like core components of a good manager or leader.

Note: These are my "learning notes" - real notes I create in an A3 notepad for my own learning. I create them for my own growth and only share notes I feel would be relevant to this community.

I use my trusty 4 step Personal Knowledge Management System of capture, curate, crunch and contribute. What you see here is step 4 - contribution.

Contribution is in my own behaviours in my life & the work I do. And contribution is also the sharing of these notes.

Plenty of goodness to use when understanding and implementing an ethical approach to work. This book is also on the reading list.

Until next time

Rob..