I once listened to a speech where ethics were involved that affected me as a listener. It was an informative speech cautioning smokers to smoke in designated areas only. Although I am not a smoker, there were times that the speaker alienated smokers. The speaker stated that for the second time in three months, this facility suffered a fire in close proximity to a building. The first fire was caused by the careless disposal of a cigarette butt and the second fire is still officially under investigation by the fire department; however, preliminary findings point to the exact same cause - careless disposal of a cigarette butt in an area outside a designated smoking area. The callous disregard of smoking regulations on the part of a minority of employees represents a direct threat to the safety and livelihoods of other employees. I cannot and will not continue to turn a blind eye to these threats. My primary responsibilities revolve around the safety and health of our valued employees, and the successful execution of our vital work. He went on to say he would not permit the behavior of a few careless or malicious people who violate our existing smoking policies and regulations to jeopardize the workforce and the mission. For those who continue to ignore the existing policies and regulations governing smoking on these premises will not continue to be warned. If someone is caught breaking the rules, there will be no verbal or written counseling. He or she will be subject to disciplinary action which can include lose of current position and or job. I remain committed to maintaining a safe and healthful workplace for our employees along with the majority of employees. I will do my utmost to ensure that the actions of a few do not jeopardize the well-being of the many.
When the speech was over, one could hear a pin drop. It was at least a couple of weeks before I saw anyone smoke on the premises at all. I believe the speech instilled fear in smokers more than anything. They were not afraid of smoking – they were afraid of getting caught smoking. This made the smokers ashamed of smoking therefore they would hide and as a result, there were three more fires in a span of a month. I believe the speech could have been delivered differently. The speaker could have left out some of the threats and focused on how smoking in designated areas is the right thing to do instead. This is where having respect for your listeners come into play. Chapter one of Public Speaking: Strategies for Success states that successful communication usually depends on evoking common bonds between the speaker and listeners. Audience members feel both that the speaker cares about them and that they are not just a minority of employees.