As in all communication situations, observe the highest ethical standards in preparing and delivering a persuasive message. How? Give your listeners valid and reliable information based on sound research. If you distort, withhold, or misrepresent the facts, you deprive listeners of the information they need to freely accept or reject your message. That’s unethical and therefore incompetent. Instead, you can choose to prepare an ethical speech that achieves your persuasive goals. Jan Withers had nothing to gain personally by getting involved with MADD. She had already suffered the unimaginable loss of a child. Instead, she directed her efforts toward changing the social attitudes of her audiences and the laws related to drinking and driving so that people around her and future generations could benefit. To see how the principles and guidelines of persuasive speeches can come together, look over the transcript for the speech “Becoming a Socially Conscious Consumer” by Jacob Hahn on pages 450–453. A video of the speech is available online at bedfordstmartins.com/choicesconnections.