by Grace Min — November 14, 2025
My trip to Washington, D.C., was filled with a lot of firsts: first time seeing the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, first time attending ICON and first time meeting PRSSA members from chapters outside of California.
Fortunately, I found a sense of familiarity among these uncharted events in reuniting with Bill Imada, chairman and chief connectivity officer of IW Group. He led a panel discussion about civility and civil discourse and what these mean to millennials and Gen Zers.
The panel also featured Michael Cherenson, executive vice president of SCG Advertising and Public Relations; Anthony D’Angelo, professor of practice and department chair in public relations at Syracuse University; Jon Goldberg, founder and chief reputation architect of Reputation Architects Inc.; and Mike Kuczkwoski, founder and CEO of Orangefiery.
Earlier this year, Imada conducted and published a study about civility; this study revealed a number of shocking statistics about how people view the concept — one of them being that 57% of people stay silent online and in face-to-face public discourse out of fear of retribution.
In a time when digital aggression and polarized politics manifest nationwide division, it’s more important than ever for public relations professionals and students to encourage critical thinking rather than charged emotional reaction.
Here are the main points I took from this discussion:
It starts at home.
People develop the understanding and responsibility for upholding civility at home. Parents influence children, grandparents influence grandchildren and siblings influence siblings. It’s important to be aware of this pattern and be proactive when learning from and teaching your loved ones about practicing civil discourse.
The ability to navigate friction is lost.
The United States is defined — and based upon — friction. The country is a melting pot, a place where people of various backgrounds and histories have built the foundation of governance and functionality. It’s crucial to recognize this and develop a better understanding of each other and one another’s nuanced beliefs and priorities.
Productive disagreement and dissent lead to productivity and innovation.
The problem with 57% of the population staying silent is that it stunts innovation. If people continue to avoid speaking their ideas out of fear of being misunderstood, then innovation will be lost. Civil discourse remains at the forefront of the public relations practice. Students and professionals cannot hold back from sharing ideas and information just because they fear being misunderstood.
Stop telling and selling — take action.
A critical proponent of civil discourse — at least in the context of the communications and public relations profession — is ethics. This means choosing to make the right decision, even behind closed doors. The upcoming generation of professionals is tasked with developing solutions that foster candid civil discourse, not just discussing the idea of it. The panelists urged students to be courageous and bold when testing ideas in the marketplace. Essentially — make the right decisions, but don’t hold back.
Empathy is imperative.
In an effort to encourage debate and energized discussion, we must lead with empathy. As the panelists in this discussion said, it’s easier said than done. But we have to remember that the ultimate objective of debate is not to prove your view is right; rather, it’s to walk away with a new perspective and a deeper appreciation for dissenting opinions. Especially as students, we can always learn something when we make the effort to engage in civil discourse.
As a Gen Zer, this discussion gave me insight into the tools and skills I can develop to combat obstinate discourse. It reminded me that diversity at school, in the workplace and even at the coffee shop I frequent is manifested whether the public likes it or not. Therefore, we must understand and appreciate people with differing views. As future communicators and leaders, it’s on us to approach tough conversations with empathy, integrity and the confidence to stand firm in what we believe.