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
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