Are You a Professional?

In recent years, I’ve noticed that people use the word professional quite loosely.  Leaders want their direct reports to operate like professionals and individuals often are frustrated because they don’t feel as though they are treated as professionals.  What strikes me in both instances is that people are often not clear on what it means to be a professional.

To me, being a professional means that you consistently behave “professionally”—that is, you hold yourself to the highest standards in a field or function.  These standards vary from field to field and from organization to organization but certainly expectations are set in both arenas.   

So, if you’re trying to evaluate your level of professionalism, consider these 3 component:

1. Competence:  This means that you continually improve your knowledge and skills in a particular area of expertise.  To be a high performing professional means that you do not “rest on your laurels” but instead continually seek to learn from publications in your field, from reflecting on your experiences, and from other practicing professionals. 

 

1. Conduct:  In this area, a professional holds themselves to a high standard of behavior that both reflects the values and interests of the organization and recognizes the rights of all persons to be treated with dignity and respect.  Professionals know how to manage their emotions and they use judgment and restraint when interacting with others. 

 

1. Contribution:  To be a professional means that you deliver value to the organization in terms of outcomes and contribution to the development of outcomes.  To be a contributing professional means that you actively participate in producing the business of the organization by working with other people, problem solving, setting and meeting goals.  Essentially—you deliver results.

 

Being a professional means consistently demonstrating the competence, conduct and contribution of your field and organization.  A competent person who is rude or surly is not behaving professionally.  A pleasant person who never participates and fails to set and meet goals is not behaving professionally.  A star achiever who meets goals at the expense of others is not behaving professionally.  A professional demonstrates each component.

In the end, you have the power to set standards for yourself and these standards affect your professional reputation.  So now it's time to reflect...are you a professional?