Professionalism - Newsletter & Video

Thank you to my friend Philip Wilkerson III, M.Ed from George Mason University . Phil is a speaker himself and a tremendous leader and visionary I hold in the very highest respect. He states that #professionalism is “changing,” and he's absolutely right - it’s a moving target! And what’s more is that the concept of professional standards can be traced as far back at 400 BC! The Hippocratic Oath, often cited as the foundation of medical ethics and professional conduct, is nearly 2,500 years old! If you like this video and newsletter, please #like, #share, and #subscribe!

We have to take one minute to dissect the root of the word professionalism, which we apply specifically to a person. Part of the reason “professionalism” is so hard to pin down is because it also depends on an individual #PROFESSION. What one profession deems “professional” may differ significantly from another profession. IT DEPENDS ON THE JOB.

Close your eyes. Clear your mind. Now, think about the first image that pops into your head when I say the word “professionalism.” I invite you to share a description of what or who you saw in the comments

Now open your eyes back up. There is a good chance the image you conjured up had a lot to do with attire. Societally, and not just in the US, one of the major pillars of professionalism is the concept of #professionalattire, which has classically meant a conservative suit in one of three dark colors – black, gray, or navy blue – and a dress shirt and tie for men or conservative blouse for women. Hair was neat, piercings minimal, tattoos invisible. Maybe Fridays you could go business casual or – perish the thought – “smart” casual.

This was the standard of “business professional” attire through much of the 1900’s, even though laborers, factory workers, and artists were also “professionals” within their “profession,” and did not necessarily have to conform to the traditional standards. They wore the attire prescribed by their organization or profession. Male archetypes often saw laborers and factory workers in blue button down shirts while their office-bound counterparts were found in white dress shirts and suits, giving rise to the idea of “blue collar” and “white collar workers.”

Over the past few decades, the idea of professional attire has seen a number of shifts towards a more casual culture. Some have asked whether strict business professional dress codes are inherently sexist or unfairly forbid cultural expressions such as certain hairstyles, and if they suppress individuality and authenticity for a limited degree of promoting a “professional corporate image.” I personally feel very comfortable with professional attire, but I've also worked closely with people I would absolutely describe as professional who are most comfortable working in jeans.

COVID-19 has altered professionalism by altering the way we work and the way we look at work. In a hybrid or remote working arrangement, for example, we may not expect to see an employee working from home to be in a full suit. That said, we are still responsible for our professionalism, even over ZOOM, Teams, or whatever we use to collaborate. Working from home is still working, and forgetting our professionalism (beyond attire) is critical. A simple Google search will reveal several tragic – and many funny – examples of jobs or careers ended by work-from-home misconduct. ?

A full discussion about professional vs business casual vs smart casual attire is part of a longer discussion, but to spend an entire discussion about professionalism discussing what someone is wearing is to buy into the idea that clothes determine the level of one’s professionalism. So what traits or behaviors can we align with a concept of professionalism, largely agnostic of profession, culture, gender identity, age, ability, etc.? I’ve got EIGHT of’em.

1. Honesty, Integrity, & Trustworthiness. What could be more indicative of whether or not we view someone as professional than whether or not that person can be trusted? In my eyes, nothing can sink someone’s professional aura than dishonesty. One of my mentors, Dr. Rob Gilbert, used to say “failure shows a lack of preparation, cheating shows a lack of character.” The world is more forgiving of someone who fails, but less so someone who lies. If you're looking for a good book to read, please check out Patrick Lencioni 's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" for a tremendous look at TRUST as the base of ALL teams.

2. Emotional Intelligence & Empathy. Evidence that shows that, on average, #EQ is a better indicator of future success and financial earning than IQ. That is because, as intelligent as someone may be, the pillars of #EmotionalIntelligence determine so much of one’s ability to succeed professionally, from self-awareness and self-management to social awareness and social management. At the center of this is the concept of #empathy – the willingness and ability to understand the perspective of another and to respect it even in disagreement or conflict. I’ve included respect in this category, as the ability to treat others respectfully and in an effort to preserve dignity is indicative of strong EQ. For outstanding content on Emotional Intelligence, consider checking out the work of Dr. Travis Bradberry . His book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is my favorite on the topic.

3. Competence. This is different from intelligence or IQ, and this is the reason why the skills recruiters and hiring managers measure on resumes and in interviews are called #competencies. Competencies are the skills necessary to do a job effectively, so competence is one’s ability to do their specific job at a high level. For example, a restaurant hires a chef to come in and cook, and on their first day, the chef comes in and asks where the microwave is and how long the meals should be in for. That chef could be impeccably dressed and emotionally intelligent, but I don't want to pay $30 a plate for their food. Outward professionalism doesn't make a difference if they cannot do the job.

4. Availability & Punctuality. It’s often been said that the greatest ability is #availability. It doesn’t matter how much you know about the problem that needs to be solved if you aren’t even there to solve the problem. Work-Life balance is critical and more a topic of discussion than ever, but if you are supposed to be someplace and you can be there, be there. Try to be on time whenever possible. Show those around you that you respect them and their time. This does NOT mean that you shouldn’t take PTO, nor does it mean that things won’t happen that get in the way of our plans, but striving to be #dependable and available is a great sign of professionalism.

5. Confidence. This isn’t bombast or cockiness, this is simply #confidence in one’s own ability to succeed. Confidence isn’t a 24/7 absence of self-doubt, either. But if you’re sitting on an airplane buckled in ready for takeoff and the pilot comes on the loudspeaker and says “these controls look a lot more complicated than they looked in training, I have no clue how this is about to go,” you aren’t going to just smile and think to yourself “what a nice training opportunity for this person, I think I’ll get a warm towel and a Fresca.” Confidence comes from preparation and competence and is a universal sign of professionalism. And so is #humility, which is NOT the opposite of confidence (different topic for a different day.)

6. Accountability & Ownership. When you do what you say you will do and are willing to answer for your decisions and actions, you are being personally #accountable. When you expect that those around you will hold up their end and take ownership for their tasks, that’s holding others accountable. #Accountability DOES NOT MEAN BLAME. When someone has to take blame for something going awry, that’s a subset of accountability, but there’s so much more to it. As much as accountability is ”that’s on me,” or “that’s on you,” is “let’s get even better and move forward." ?

7. Respect for Diversity. The world is getting smaller and there is insurmountable evidence that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative and perform at higher levels than their homogeneous counterparts. Fortune 500 organizations with female executives are outpacing their strictly male-led contemporaries in profitability. There is still much work to be done in terms of #diversity, #equity, #inclusion, #belonging, and #accessibility, whether it is #equalpayforequalwork or representation in the c-suite, but with so many aspects of diversity present in the modern workplace, especially with remote and hybrid work arrangements reducing barriers for individuals caring for children or elders, the disabled, the neurodiverse, etc. the ability to work and thrive along side different people is critical in the quest for professionalism.

8. Communication. Almost every living thing communicates in some way, and in order to be seen as professionals, it is important that we communicate effectively using all 4 of the styles of #communication.

• Verbal Communication – The words we speak, the volume, pitch, tempo – all are important in how we communicate with others, and an indicator of our professionalism. I think we can all agree there are certain words that are not appropriate in certain settings, and other words that aren’t appropriate in any settings.
• Non-Verbal Communication – want to know how vast this subset is? Consider the fact that we just spent a considerable amount of time discussion professional attire, and that is just one of MANY subsets of communication. This also includes our eye contact, posture, facial expressions, and so much more.
• Written Communication – our e-mails, text messages, letters, resumes, and any other written document – whether physical or electronic – are part of written communication, and our professionalism is being examined any time or written correspondence is.
• Listening – want to be seen as a professional individual? PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING. Show people you value what THEY have to say and aren’t just waiting for your turn to speak. Remember what people told you, repeat it back to them, and take an authentic interest in what people around you have to say.

We may never have a universal vision of what professionalism means, but these eight things come to my mind when I think of what a professional is. While “professional” may be defined as someone who is paid for the work they do, professionalism is a much deeper topic of discussion. I hope this discussion helps you think of how you can continue to be professional, to improve your professionalism, or how to guide others on that path. Think you have another good example of professionalism? Share it in the comments and let’s keep the dialogue going! Please feel free to ask follow-up questions in the comments section – your question could turn in to a future video!?Subscribe, share, and as always, thank you for spending time with me!

Chris Fitzpatrick (he/him/his) is a Human Resources Professional with 16+ years of experience in Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, and Diversity & Inclusion. Chris is proud to be the Sr. Manager, Talent Development at Crestron Electronics, an industry leader in the AV Industry with an amazing team around him. Chris speaks professionally, loves hosting game shows, and golfs (poorly) for charity.

Chris can be found on Facebook and Instagram at?ChrisFitzpatrickSpeaks.

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