Professional Characteristics

Professional Characteristics

                The greatest asset you can have in the work force is being professional. The top three professional characteristics, in my opinion, are being honest, having respect and courtesy, and communication.

                First, be honest. You cannot earn credibility by lying. One day the small lies will build into a lie that is just too big to cover up. Soon small problems will become large ones. When all along, the small problem could have been handled; instead it was lied about (Francis, para. 2).  Honesty in your job also means doing the job you said you would do when you said you would do it. If you know beforehand that you might have difficulty keeping your word, be honest with yourself and your employer (Professionalism, para. 17). Asking for help at the beginning is easier than scrambling at crunch time to get the project completed in time.

                Second, have respect and be courteous. Giving respect to others in the work place will only help others respect you more. To increase the perception others have of you, be courteous; say thank you and please, and listen when others are talking. You can say a lot without saying anything. Be respectful of the opinions of others and take advice graciously. K.A. Francis said this about being a respectful employee, “An employee does not have to like or agree with what a supervisor said, but a courteous and respectful employee will listen before offering comments or rebuttals.” (Francis, para. 3)

                Third communicate; be concise and clear in all communications. This includes verbal, nonverbal, and written communication between clients, bosses, and co-workers. Effective communicating skills show professionalism (Francis, para. 5)

                Knowing what being professional means can be difficult. So just remember, be honest, be respectful and courteous, and be a good communicator.

References

Francis, K. (n.d.). What Are the Characteristics of Professionalism? Retrieved from Chron: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/characteristics-professionalism-1209.html

Joesph, C. (n.d.). 10 Characteristics of Professionalism. Retrieved from Chron: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/10-characteristics-professionalism-708.html

Norton, A. (2010, July 27). 10 things that define a true professional. Retrieved from TechRepublic: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-things-that-define-a-true-professional/

Professionalism. (n.d.). Retrieved from Mind Tools: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/professionalism.htm

Tips for Team Effectiveness

                Working in a team or on a group project can be one the most stressful situations while going to school. In my research I have found three simple tips for becoming more effective in a group. They are communication, determine each other’s strengths, and make a plan.  

First communication; discuss as a group the most effective way to communicate. If it be text, e-mail, or video conferencing, use the one that everyone can agree upon. Make sure everyone knows how the communication will be done and stick to it. (Patterson, para. 3) When communicating with the group, remember to include everyone; if assignments are determined through a group e-mail, remember to “reply all” so all team members can see your response.

Second, determine the strengths of group members. Talk as a group about what you do best, then do it. Do not assign a task to someone who could do a different one better (Patterson, para. 4). Remember to be honest with yourself and the group; to make this tip effective, you must be honest. You may say that you are good at presenting when in reality you would do better organizing the flow of the information needing to be presented.

Third, make a plan. In your first meeting, make an outline for accomplishing the project (Heathfield, para. 3). Reference the requirement sheet when outlining as a way to double-check that you have met all requirements of the project. An outline also creates separations on where parts of the project can be divided. The outline provides an easy way to assign group members their specific area of focus in the project. 

So, the next time you receive a group assignment in class you will not need to worry because you have learned three simple tips. All you need to do is remember to communicate, use your strengths, and have a plan.  

References

Heathfield, S. M. (n.d.). About.com. Retrieved from Tips for Better Team Work?: http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm

Patterson, M. (2010, September 2). Biznik. Retrieved from 7 Tips for Developing an Effective Team: http://biznik.com/articles/7-tips-for-developing-an-effective-team