When I was growing up and learning life lessons, my parents and teachers taught some basic rules of behavior that they said would be invaluable to my life and subsequent career(s). These rules, if consistently adhered to, would protect my reputation and mark me as a person of honorable character. Both my parents served in the Air Force and had civil service experience afterwards. They believed in a strong work ethic and impressed that within me. The most important by-line at work was to “be professional.” Here are the important tenants. As yourself, are you one?

1. Your word is your bond. When you say you will do something, you don’t have to promise. If you say it, that IS a promise. If you say it, then you must follow through. That is integrity.

2. If you tell someone you will be at a place at a certain time, then be there. Don’t show up after the time. Don’t assume that not being on time will be acceptable. Be. On. Time. Be early. Ten minutes early is so much better than ten minutes late. When you are late, you are saying that you have no respect for the person who waits. You are saying that your time is more important than the person who waits. They have to give up their time for you, but you are saying you don’t honor them enough to give your best effort and be on time. Again, it shows a lack of integrity.

 

3. Change is inevitable. Remember that people do not like change and worse, don’t like to be surprised with it. If something is expected of you and you change without telling anyone, people will give you attitude and negativity (in most cases). Be understanding of others and tell others when change is happening. This is respect.

4. There are two kinds of professionals. The first is one who earns money at a job comprised of a majority of amateurs (those not making money). The second is an expert in a particular field. Don’t presume because you earn a dollar that you are more of the second kind of professional than the first. And remember that a true professional, doesn’t need to remind others. Others will naturally gravitate to a professional. This is trust and respect.

5. If you make a mistake, apologize. Do what you can to make it right. Accept that mistakes will happen and be honest and up front about them. Do not lie. Ever. EVER. Once a lie has broken free, others tend to follow. Honesty is a mark of character and shows respect. Lies cheapen your integrity and ruin your reputation.

6. Use manners. A professional knows that behavior matters. Don’t assume things about people. We learned what we needed to know in the first grade: Please. Thank you. Yes/No sir/ma’am (especially to those in positions of authority, elders and customers). How you treat people speaks volumes about you as an individual. You do not have the right to be rude. Not if you are attempting to be professional. You do not have the right to say whatever you feel, however you wish, if those words are vulgar and denigrating. Courtesy is respect. You don’t have to “like” someone to give respect. Civility and respect are twins.

7. Emails do not replace letters unless specified. Even then, bad language and poor grammar show a lack of professionalism. Use your words, not your abbreviations. No one speaks that way in “the real world” (unless you are planning to work on skates or in headphones). Again, show your character, not your ass.

8.  As above, so likewise go phone manners. Remember that half of what is conveyed over the phone is tone. We will accept negative issues more readily if spoken clearly, honestly, and with courtesy. Use words like “yes” instead of “yeah,” and demonstrate an ability to use the words you claim to love. Be professional. Respect for others, patience and positivity, will demonstrate your professionalism and leave a marked impression long remembered after the call is finished. That is perception and true or not, you are the way you are perceived to be. That is reputation.

9. Attitude is everything. If you are surly, disingenuous, apathetic or angry, the negativity will eat into your contact with others. It will brand you as someone with whom dealing is undesirable. You will lose your value, and your reputation will tarnish. Once tarnished, forever tarnished. Practice being positive. Smile. This is strength of character and people naturally gravitate to strength

10.  Most of all, above all, and always, do the right thing. Do the Right Thing. When the moral dilemma bars your way and you are tempted to take the road around, make a shortcut, go cheap, tell that little white lie or turn a blind eye — don’t. Just Do the Right Thing. It’s like stopping at the red light in the middle of the night with no one around. Integrity is doing the right thing especially when no one is watching. That’s strength of character.

These 10 tenants are what it means to be professional. Take them to heart. Make them a part of you. As a writer, attempting to be seen and valued as a professional, you have to BE professional. Whether writing letters, making phone calls, going to conferences, appearing at book signings, and/or performing one-on-one consultations, you must be the professional.

Unlike the termite inspector who shows up an hour late, or the food delivery truck that just doesn’t show up at all, or the person on the phone who is unable to speak for popping gum, or the surly customer service rep who is annoyed that I bothered to call, or the shoe salesman who is aggravated because I want to try on more than one shoe, or the email from the customer service rep who wants to ” <3 my order bcuz she’d B cray not 2,” I want you to truly BE professional. Much depends on it.

Before I finish, I must add one more tenant.

11. A real professional is always learning and improving. No one knows it all. No craft remains static. You continue to learn and to grow or find yourself left behind. A real pro studies and grows within the profession. A real pro is open and receptive to new ideas. A real pro listens and learns. Never be so smart that you forget you don’t know it all. This is wisdom.

Where are all the professionals? It seems that they are missing. Sadly, I find them drifting, or disappearing. It angers me. I’m tired of dealing with unprofessional people. Insist on professionalism. Give it. Command it. Demand it. Live it. Raise the bar. Be the bar. Set a standard. Maintain it. Represent it. Become it. That’s being professional.

Then hopefully, we won’t ever ask, “where are the professionals?”

Thanks for stopping by!

Yours Between the Lines,
Sherry