Three Ways to Always be Professional

Professionalism is a wordthat often gets bandied about when people want someone else to behave in a particular manner and

What is a professional?

deliver a certain level of service. We label certain careers as professional and we often attach salary levels to professionals.

But how can you be a professional and deliver professional service if that is one of the goals of your business?

There are three simple but not easy to do ways to always be a professional but before looking at those lets understand the word professional a little better.

According to the online dictionary, the word professional can be a noun or an adjective. Using it as an adjective it generally describes people in certain professions like doctors and lawyers and is often tied to pay rates or classifications of the area of service like a professional sport. As a noun, the word is used synonymously with expert or skilled practitioner. Practically though a professional gets paid for the service they render.

Professionalism is more than a tangible thing. True professionalism is an attitude. An attitude towards performance and service delivery.

The three ways to always be professional are:

Always keep your word and deliver what you promised, when you promised it and with a little bit more than was expected.
Always treat all parties with respect even when you feel that they are treating you badly. Never lower yourself to street fighting or abuse to make your point. Always maintain dignity for everyone, especially yourself. And that means always doing your best.
Always realize that both sides have an opinion and acknowledge that the other side has their wants and needs too. Accept that you have differences and appreciate that you can only be responsible for what you do and the other person has a responsibility for what they do, say, think and feel. Changing someone else’s mind only happens by them choosing to change based on new information that allows them to rethink the situation.

If you are living to your purpose, acting with passion and committed to performing above expectations, you are a professional. You are giving your best, your expertise, your self. A professional is a real person who uses all their talents, skills, knowledge and resources to deliver the maximum value they can to their clients. They understand that their business is about them, their client and the community in which they live. They understand that a professional is someone who goes beyond the title or role and lives their job.

And a true professional asks for help when performing becomes difficult. A true professional knows that the responsibility for their thoughts deeds and feelings lies within themselves. And a true professional knows that sometimes, you are unable to satisfy everyone.

Dress, position, salary and other quantitative or qualitative measurements are dictionary definitions for success. But since success is a journey rather than a destination, professionalism is measured internally rather than externally and only you can truly determine your own professionalism.

If professionalism is personal, how do you determine if someone you are dealing with is a professional then? Please comment on that and I will do a blog on that topic later in the week. The real business challenge is to know the answer to that question.

Roberta

A Passionate, Purposeful Performer

4 Comments

Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A.
Twitter: Adjuvancy
May 15, 2012

Professionalism is something that has fallen by the wayside. It’s why “professional schools” and “professional societies” are now teaching ethics. Because it’s something that has been lost.
Thanks for reminding the rest of us that there is no excuse for not being professional.
Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A. recently posted..Database Theft is Not Criminal?

Reply
- Roberta Budvietas May 15, 2012
  
  You are welcome Roy. Ethics and professionalism go hand in hand but the challenge is still one of delivering what one promised in many different aspects of our lives especially in our business life. It is kind of sad how the standard has slipped.
  
  Reply
Gustavo May 16, 2012

Those point are a useful guide to get the best of people you work with, customer or coworkers, even if you are not interested in being called professional -though you maybe should, It’s just good business.
Gustavo recently posted..What are dreams made of.

Reply
- Roberta Budvietas May 16, 2012
  
  Thanks Gustavo, you are right it is about other people and your attitude and treatment of them. And it is what good business is really all about
  
  Reply