Last week, I taught a free online class on Purpose Alignment. We had a full house and a waiting list. Then a technical problem kept many registered people from getting in.
They had set aside an evening and printed the handouts. I felt terrible. I couldn’t give them that time back, but I could apologize and offer them another chance to attend. So I did.
The technology caused the problem. My response was my responsibility.
That’s one thing I’ve learned in more than 40 years of working with people: professionalism becomes visible when keeping your word is inconvenient, when someone tests your patience, or when something goes wrong.
I’ve also seen a shocking lack of professionalism. People miss deadlines without a word. They are courteous to the boss and rude to the receptionist. They turn in careless work, then get offended when someone asks them to correct it. Some have impressive titles and credentials, yet leave a trail of frustrated people behind them.
They may think they’re professionals. But professionalism isn’t a title you give yourself. It’s what other people experience when they deal with you. What do they experience when they deal with you?
Here are ten ways to find out. As you read, resist the urge to think of someone else who needs this list. I can almost guarantee you’ll think of a name or two! The greater value is in finding the one or two items you could improve.
1. You keep your word. If you promise a call on Thursday, you make the call. If you can’t deliver what you promised, you say so before someone has to ask. Reliability is built one kept commitment at a time.
2. You respect other people’s time. You arrive when you said you would. You come prepared. If you’re running late, you let people know. “I’m busy” doesn’t mean everyone else has time to spare.
3. You check your work. Before you send the email, turn in the report, or declare the job finished, you look it over. You ask, “Will the person receiving this have what they need—and confidence that I got it right?”
4. You give people your attention. You put the phone down. You let them finish a sentence. You listen to understand what they mean, even when you’re eager to tell them what you think.
5. You treat everyone with courtesy. Watch how someone speaks to a server, receptionist, new employee, or volunteer. Respect that appears only when a person has power or influence isn’t much respect at all.
6. You speak about people as carefully as you speak to them. You don’t build a connection with one person by putting down another. If there’s a problem, you address it with the person who can do something about it.
7. You stay civil when you’re frustrated. You can disagree firmly. You can ask for a mistake to be corrected. You don’t need to raise your voice or send the cutting reply you’ll regret tomorrow.
8. You consider the people affected by your decisions. When you change a plan, tell the people it affects early. Ask for their input when you can. Don’t leave them to discover the change after it has disrupted their day.
9. You own your mistakes. “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. Here’s what I’m doing to fix it.” Those words may be uncomfortable, but they do far more good than a long explanation of whose fault it really was.
10. You keep learning. Experience can make you better, but it can also convince you that you have nothing left to learn. A professional welcomes feedback and changes course when it’s warranted.
You probably do many of these things well. I hope so. But don’t judge your professionalism by your intentions or by your best day. Think about how you behave when you’re rushed, tired, disappointed, or dealing with someone who can do nothing for you.
Then ask someone you trust: “Which one of these ten do I most need to work on?”
Listen to the answer. That may be the most professional thing you do this week.
Keep on growing. The best is yet to come!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman
P.S. Professionalism draws on skills we practice in NEXT-LEVEL YOU—especially communication, trust, and accountability. If you’d like to work on those skills with me, try NEXT-LEVEL YOU free for 7 days. After seven days, membership automatically continues at $37/month unless you cancel before the trial ends.