Professionalism
Professionalism
Professionalism is a powerful quality. It allows you to fulfilll
your role to the best of your ability. It helps you to impress and inspire
others. And it gives you a deep sense of satisfaction and self-worth.
What's more, professionalism is something that everyone can
aspire to from day one of their career.
In this article, we explain what professionalism means today, and
show you how to act and feel like a professional – wherever you work.
What Is Professionalism?
As the saying goes, "Professionalism is not the job you do,
it's how you do the job."
Professionalism involves consistently achieving high standards,
both visibly and "behind the scenes" – whatever your role or
profession.
Some sectors, workplaces or roles have particular
"rules" of professionalism. These may be explicit, such as an agreed
dress code, 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, or even how people personalize
their desks.
It pays to be observant, and to ask for clarification if
necessary. "Fitting in" is a big part of professionalism, as it's a
way to show respect, attention to detail, and a commitment to upholding agreed
practices and values.
However, "being true to yourself" is just as important.
True professionals don't follow rules mindlessly, and they know when and how to
challenge norms. They're also flexible, and they find their own ways to do
things – while still maintaining high standards.
8 Characteristics of Professionalism
What are the attributes that will mark you out as a professional?
Let's look at eight key characteristics:
1. Competence
As a professional, you get the job done – and done well. Your
abilities match the requirements of your role, and you often produce results
that exceed expectations.
But you never plow on simply for the sake of appearances.
Instead, your professionalism allows you to manage your own and others'
expectations, and to ask for support when necessary.
2. Knowledge
Professionalism involves developing detailed, up-to-date
knowledge, which is often highly specialized. At every stage of your career you
can strive to master your role – and keep adding to what you know.
It's also important to put your knowledge into action. Being
professional means feeling confident to show what you know – not for
self-promotion, but to help yourself and others to succeed.
3. Conscientiousness
Professionalism involves being reliable, setting your own high
standards, and showing that you care about every aspect of your job. It's about
being industrious and organized, and holding yourself accountable for your
thoughts, words and actions.
But don't confuse conscientiousness with working longer hours
than everyone else, or obsessing about details. True professionals plan and
prioritize their work to keep it under control, and they don't let perfectionism
hold them back.
4. Integrity
Integrity is what keeps professional people true to their word.
It also stops them compromising their values, even if that means taking a
harder road.
Integrity is bound up with being honest – to yourself, and to the
people you meet. Your beliefs and behaviors are aligned, and everyone can see
that you're genuine.
5. Respect
Professionalism means being a role model for politeness and good
manners – to everyone, not just those you need to impress.
What's more, you show that you truly respect other people by
taking their needs into account, and by helping to uphold their rights.
6. Emotional
Intelligence
To be a true professional you need to stay professional even
under pressure. This takes strategies for managing your emotions, plus a clear
awareness of other people's feelings. In short, emotional intelligence is
essential.
Sometimes, professionalism means keeping your emotions in check.
But at other times it's important to express your feelings, in order to have
meaningful conversations or to stand up for what you believe in.
7. Appropriateness
A big part of being professional is knowing what's appropriate in
different situations. It avoids awkwardness or upset, boosts your credibility,
and helps you to feel secure in your role.
Appropriateness relates to outward appearances, such as dress,
personal grooming and body language.
But it also covers the way you speak and write, the topics you
choose to discuss, and how you behave with others.
8. Confidence
Well-founded confidence reassures and motivates other people,
boosting your ability to influence and lead. It also pushes you to take on new
challenges, because you don't fear damaging your professional reputation if
things go wrong.
Professionalism makes you confident about what you’re doing now, but always eager to
do it better and achieve more.
How to Exhibit Professionalism
Now that we've seen the qualities that set professionals apart,
let's explore ways to improve in each of these eight areas.
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