For some being professional means dressing
smartly for work, displaying kindness and courtesy, communicating effectively, or
presenting an air of confidence. However,
a true professional does not do things just for the sake of appearances.
Simply stated professionalis is what you do visibly – judgement, skills, and behaviours – that impresses and
inspires others and what you do behind
the scenes – integrity, self-regulation, conscientiousness – that allows
you to fulfill your role to the best of your ability and gives you a sense of
satisfaction and self-worth.
The dictionary defines professionalism as “The skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.
Whether you are customer service rep, electrician, archeologist or owner of a small business your professionalism is a dynamic and potent set of attributes that others respect and value. You will recognize from the following 11 characteristics that true professionals are the kind of individuals that others respect and value; they strive to be a credit to their organization. They do everything they can to remain professionally relevant and competitive. Above all they are conscientious, accountable, honest and resourceful.
Professionals are known for approaching their work in a serious and thoughtful way. They make a deep personal commitment to develop and improve their knowledge because it is a tool that all successful professionals implement, regardless of their field. They are keen to attend lecture in their industry before learning more information deepens their pool of resources to pull from when needed. Professionals keep this knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible.
They are keen to enhance or learn new skills because they strive to be effective in their job and master the specializations needed to succeed in their field of interest. They never let their ego get in the way of evaluating their performance. Whatever their job, they know their skills can always be fine-tuned. From time to time they assess their strengths and weaknesses to identify any skill gaps they have and work to fill them. They know that there are always behaviors and work processes that could be improved upon. They never put their success on hold until the ideal situation or resources become available. They act now and do not settle for less. They are curious or open to improve and learn new ways to do things and developing confidence through putting new knowledge and skills into action. At any professional level, it also means sharing knowledge and experience to help coworkers to succeed as well.
Professionals get the job done. They're reliable, and they keep their promises. If circumstances arise that prevent them from delivering on their promises, they manage expectations up front, and they do their best to make the situation right. Professionals don't make excuses, but focus on finding solutions and are not afraid to get down in the trenches to perform menial tasks. They analyze risks beforehand to minimize the consequences of getting things wrong. Then do the best they possibly can!3.
Professionals produce work and results that reflect a sense of pride and proficiency, often exceeding expectations. Yet, true professionals are humble. If a task falls outside their scope of expertise, they're not afraid to admit this. If they encounter problems or obstacles they may take the time to brainstorm a few solutions and alternatives before they meet with a supervisor, but they willingly ask for help when they need it, and they are eager to learn from others. Professionalism makes them confident about what they are doing, but they always eager to do it better and achieve more.
Professionalism is showing respect for the emotions and needs of others and dealing with people in every situation in a calm cool manner. They are appropriate in the topics they choose to discuss and how they behave toward others. Professionals have the ability to keep their disruptive emotions and impulses in check, even under pressure. They do not let a bad day impact how they interact with colleagues or clients. Even in the face of emotional upheaval among others or when faced with an irate clients, true professionals maintain the composure to act in a business-like demeanor, and do everything that can be done to make those situations right. One trait that aids in self-regulation and is the mark of a true profession is self-awareness. They gain an awareness of their emotional triggers so they can manage their reactions positively and productively. They accept and reflect on that feedback to help them learn and grow.
Professionals maintain high standards because they are accountable, and not only to others. Their professionalism is an essential part of being true to themselves. They hold themselves accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions, especially when they have made a mistake.
A true professional is reliable, diligent, and industrious. They care about every aspect of the job and follow through. There is a tendency to confuse conscientiousness with being busy, working long hours or obsessing about picture perfect work. In being conscientious a professional uses time productively at work by focusing on the responsibilities at hand and not getting pulled into distractive behaviours. Professionals show up for work or meetings on time and fully prepared. They achieve results because they know how to plan ahead, prioritize, analyze risks beforehand to minimize the consequences of getting things wrong. Then they focus their attention to get work done carefully (meticulously) and energetically.
Professionals do not like to be under-utilized. They are keen to take the initiative by asking to participate in more projects, step up with suggestions without being asked to do so. They are willing to go an extra mile to solve a problem or take on challenges that show they are capable of being part of the solution or part of the team that can meet an organization's goals.
Integrity is what keeps professional people genuine and true to their word. They can be trusted implicitly because of this. It is their commitment and honesty – to themselves and others – that does not allow them to compromise their values, even if that means taking a more difficult path. A true professional behaves ethically at all times.
Having coping skills to manage setbacks and challenges with a positive and constructive attitude are also marks of a professional. The only certainty in the world is that the unexpected happens. A professional never gives up. They do not let failure or frustration stop them. To them success is getting up one more time than you have fallen because they are motivated to success in the wake of a setback. A professional takes those unexpected surprises and hurdles in stride and make opportunities out of difficult situations. Learn More about Resilience
Professionals tend to adopt more than a “can-do” attitude. They employ a “will-do-at-any-cost” approach. They are not sidetracked by difficulties that bring most people to a screeching halt. No matter what chaos the world throws at them in their career or personal life they adapt accordingly and build a solution with the pieces they’re left. Sometime professionals have to be willing to think way outside the box in order to get the job done. Their resourcefulness is characterized by their decision-making and problem solving abilities. The resourceful professional will rise above the rest, using a seamless blend of ingenuity, common sense and good judgement to overcome obstacles and realize success.
Practiced professionals develop effective interpersonal skills. They enhance their speaking and writing abilities because they want to easily and assertively express their ideas, needs and opinions in a fair, honest and calm way whilst considering the needs and views of other people. They want clarity and to avoid misunderstandings or confusion. Their enhanced interpersonal communication skills include openness, effective body language, listening skills, ability to navigate and resolve conflict, as well as negotiate. Good communication skills help them cultivate cordial relationships for collaboration and build networking relationships with colleagues, clients, and suppliers. Professionals like to foster new relationships to develop their idea network.
Anyone can aspire to be a professional from the first moment in any job. Fitting in is a big part of professionalism. Some sectors, workplaces or roles have well defined standards of professionalism pertaining to etiquette, behaviour, dress code, customer service, confidentiality, or a policy for using social media. Other rules and expectations may not be written down, but they can be just as important – such as what is regarded as professional behavior at meetings. Fitting in is a way to show respect, attention to detail, and a commitment to upholding agreed practices and values. However, a true professional does not follow rules mindlessly either.
The professional skills vary from business to business. However, the general skills and attributes that characterize professionalism are transferrable. All positions require competence in these essential skills:
Professionals who enjoy their work want to use some of their time in pursuing career advancement. They give themselves permission to explore other opportunities, too
More and more people are advancing their expertise for remote positions. Remote workers enjoy a flexibility that is rare for full-time workers. They exercise that gift to advance their careers or finding a cause that lets them volunteer and give back to their community.
They are keen and proactive by:
As a small business owner
you should assess whether you are sourcing enough good ideas from outside your
immediate think group. The more ideas generated, the greater the chance of
finding innovative ways to combine them into something new.
Inspiration can strike when you least expect it, but that is rather an inefficient way to drive innovation and creativity. Want a do-it-yourself approach to decision-making and problem solving? Try one of these brainstorming techniques to develop your ideas.
Are you familiar with the basics of copyright law in Canada? Do you know the finer points of protectecting your rights as the creator of intellectual property? Did you know that under Fair Dealing the users of copyright material also have rights under Canadian Copyright law?
When you are overworked and under pressure, try these two super easy-to-implement strategies to fend off procrastination. They can be completed quickly and more importantly they work best to set the tone for an excellent day.
Kindness should extend to our colleagues and work family. In the workplace, kindness is a catalyst that helps to build trust, drives morale, improves well-being, engagement, and productivity. Kindness makes you feel good and that is a good way to spend your day.
As a professional, you want to get the job done – and done well. You do what is necessary to produce results that exceed expectations. You recognize whatever you do to keep advancing personally and professionally also helps your business to thrive.
