The Handbook for All Professionals
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The Handbook for All Professionals - Frank Goss III
INDEX
CHAPTER
1
Professionalism
"To know things as they are
is better than to believe things as they seem… "
-Tom Wicker
Fifteen steps to becoming a professional
A professional
is a person engaged in a learned vocation. However, not every person engaged in a learned vocation is a professional.
There are certain attitudes and behavioral characteristics of those who are considered professionals, especially those who are considered successful professionals. You can’t help but notice their gait, their eloquence, their presence.
You can start to project these qualities, too, by looking at your life from a professional’s point of view. Here are fifteen steps to help guide you in the right direction.
1. Perfect the art of listening. Listen to other people even if you disagree. This will strengthen your beliefs as well as help you see the other side. It will help you grow. If you are engaged in a vocation that involves large groups of people, the only way you can understand them is to hear them. Understand that the majority of people are self-centered. If you hope to convince them of anything about yourself or your organization, you must be a good interpreter. Listening will help you learn how to communicate with anyone in such a way that they will hear you.
2. Read, re-read, and read again materials aimed at those in your position and others in your profession. Digesting such information will keep you up-to-date and well-rounded. Stay abreast of new techniques; they’ll help you perfect old ones.
3. Associate with successful people or people with similar goals. Association brings about assimilation.
Join professional organizations; people who have similar interests support each other. It will help you remain on the right track.
4. Look, act and dress for your role. This is important, if you act like you know what you’re doing, the people around you will assume you do and treat you accordingly. Dressing the part is also essential because, not only does it make you feel confident, it enhances your image and helps you look capable.
5. Evaluate yourself and your desired occupation. Are you doing what you want to do? Do you have the qualifications, time and inclination to pursue another occupation? When you are engaged in a profession you enjoy, it is possible to give more of yourself to it, and, consequently, to get more out of it. If you find yourself making a living doing a job you dislike, focus on the aspects of your work that you do like while preparing yourself to do something else.
6. Eliminate negative thoughts and people from your life. A positive outlook works. However, you cannot maintain your positive attitude if you are in constant contact with people who think negatively.
7. Use correct grammar. Colloquialism, slang and ethnic lingo
have their place, but they are inappropriate in some situations. Remember, the art of conversation is to communicate. If the person to whom you are speaking is unaware of the depth of the meaning of a phrase, your conversation is meaningless; if your words are incomprehensible or perceived negatively, you have wasted your breath.
Casual colloquialism is spoken by many Americans, however, it is not the language of most business people. Consequently, standard English usage, pronunciation and enunciation is usually best in business situations.
If you want to improve your English, or any other language, take a speech course or buy recorded tapes and learn from them. Record your oral presentations so you can hear how you sound. It will be one of the best investments of time you’ll ever make.
8. Always be prompt. A good impression is created when you are on time. It implies you are eager to begin your day. It also shows consideration for others who may be unable to begin their work without you. Besides, it’s to your advantage, too. Being ahead of time will allow you to regroup, plan the day, relax and come down
from the hustle and bustle of commuting to work.
9. Steer clear of company gossip. It creates the wrong impression of you. If you participate, you will be cited as a participant as the gossip moves along. If you happen to hear something that you know to be untrue, don’t participate in the discussion if you cannot muster up the strength to say so.
10. Keep your goals in mind and believe in yourself. This comes about by mentally affirming yourself, finding out who you are and how you want others to perceive you. It is an effective way to keep your mind together.
If you have difficulty believing in yourself, seek help from friends, a professional psychoanalyst or psychiatrist, or cultivate yourself by reading literature written to help improve a person’s outlook on life.
11. Do not neglect your family and/or others who are important to you. When the chips are down, loved ones are the ones you can most likely depend upon. Take time to be attentive to them as often as you can, and they will be more understanding about the times when you cannot.
12. Try as much as possible to keep your personal life separate from your job. The job is about finance, not romance. If a romantic encounter does occur, be sure you have chosen an individual who will not hamper you during the romance, or after the relationship is over. Both of you need to remain professional, objective, impersonal and respectful on the job.
13. Expect disappointment, disloyalty, pettiness, and ignorant behavior. Expect this kind of behavior even from people you think you know best. When a person does not live up to your expectations, learn from your mistakes and be slower to select someone to trust and confide in the next time. Don’t brood over adversity; it will happen time and time again.
14. Take time to Relax. We are living in a very taxing society. In order to be successful one must work and play hard. When you’ve had enough work, go to your favorite place, sit back and let go! That should make it easy to return to the rat race.
15. Always have pride in your roots: who you are and from where you came. Respect the people that influenced you, sacrificed for you, and gave you the initiative, support, advice, time and money to get you where you are today. If there comes a time when they need you, don’t turn your back on them. On the other hand, do not permit anyone to use you because of the past.
Keeping in mind the steps outlined above start strengthening your weak points. If you know you are handicapped by spelling, keep a dictionary handy. If you cannot remember appointments, always keep a calendar, an appointment pad or a smart phone with you to manage your appointments. You now have the theory it takes to improve your work performance, chances for advancement, and general outlook. In the final analysis, your success will depend greatly upon your determination. Determination must be intertwined in every look, step, and fiber of a successful professional. So, no matter what obstacles you face, don’t ever give up.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT POWER
If you intend to succeed in your profession or influence the shape of things in your environment significantly, you need power. Power is the ability to get your own way, which isn’t necessarily bad or egotistical. It can be used to accomplish great things for all humankind, such as those things accomplished by respected civic and religious leaders.
In the business world, a professional must have the power to get things done. Attempting to fill a managerial position for which you are neither adept nor willing to use power skills results in burn-out,
says Katherine Benziger, a management consultant specializing in stress management, conflict resolution, and other mental management topics. To avoid frustrations and burn-out, Benziger suggests a professional determine whether or not he or she wants power and is willing to do what it takes to acquire it. She offers the following factors to help you decide:
1. Learn and use your organization’s language and symbols. When attempting to influence people it is important that you speak their language. Don’t expect them to learn yours.
2. Learn to use your organization’s priorities. You and your department have needs and priorities. The trick to getting others to support your efforts is to explain your needs in terms of their