What Does Being a Professional Really Mean to You in Your Workplace?

Hi Friends,

We all at this forum are from different backgrounds, qualifications, and organizations. We keep on hearing the phrase - "Be a Professional" or "Let's be more Professional". I would like to invite everybody's views and ideas on the word "PROFESSIONAL"/PROFESSIONALISM. What do we actually mean by it?

Would highly appreciate if members would give a little time for this.

Thanks to All.

Rohan Kelkar.

Hi Rohan,

Lovely question. In fact, I had asked the same question in this forum, and only Swastik replied back:

"The term professional is used to cover the whole ambit of people in HR, covering both those who are in service and those who are in consultancy. Since this is an HR site, we use the term to encompass everyone. We also refer to professionals in Marketing and Finance."

My question was: why do we refer to our fellow colleagues who are in the HR profession as "HR professionals"? I mean, why the term "professionals"? Why do we always have to reiterate the term "professionals"? Do we call other functions the same? For example, do we say "Marketing Professional" for a marketing person, "CA Professional" or "Accounts Professional" for someone in finance, and "Engineer Professional" for engineers? Or, are we afraid that if we do not use the term "professional," we will be sidelined and looked down upon?

Hi,

We need to view "Professional" as opposed to "Personal/Unqualified/Untrained in the profession/amateur". One who is competent/qualified/trained to handle the profession is thus professional.

To draw from an analogy: A professionally run company is one that is not run on the whims and fancies of the promoters/owners but by qualified/trained/competent personnel. Professionals are paid remuneration to handle the expertise required of them. One who receives remuneration for their competent/qualified service.

To draw from another analogy: A professional boxer, when he/she fights for prize money (as opposed to an Olympic gold).

Thus, in my opinion, a "Professional" is one who is competent, qualified, and trained to handle the job with objectivity - uncolored by extraneous factors and receives remuneration for the same.

The subject could, of course, be developed further.

Thanks,

Regards,

S.D. Lahkar

Hi friends,

First of all, I would like to tell you what professionalism is. Professionalism is the behavior that the professional is assumed or expected to exhibit in their profession. Therefore, a professional is someone who is well-known and well-aware of what is expected and assumed in their profession.

Yashswa

Hi Yashwa,

Could you please enlighten us on what behavior is to be exhibited by a professional? How is he expected to behave?

Regards

Hello Vrishi,

Sir, I don't know to whom I'm writing. You may be far senior than me, but as you have told me to enlighten the comment, I would like to add that every profession has certain demands and limitations in respect of the behavior of the professional in that particular profession, which may be expressed or implied by the behavior of other professionals in that same field or profession. For example, an HR professional is assumed to be very disciplined in his attitude, language, and overall appearance. However, a criminal lawyer need not be so all the time as he has to deal with different types of people in society.

Therefore, a person who knows about this very well is said to be a true professional. I hope I tried my best. If you have a better idea than this of what it means to be professional, please tell all of us.

Regards,
Yashswa

Hi Yashwa,

First of all, please do not call me Sir. I may be senior to you, but that does not mean that I know more about HR than you. Regarding professionalism, I want to know what behavior is to be expected. Why is it different for different professions as pointed out by you? Kindly clarify.

Happy Diwali,

Rishi

Hi, Rishi,

I think you have read but not carefully. Please read carefully. I believe I have explained to the best of my knowledge. However, I will add one sentence in summary about the difference. The reason for this is the "demand, limitation, and obligations in respect of behavioral aspects of the respective profession which may be expressed and implied."

With the best of my knowledge, I have tried, so please go through the previous write-up as well. You may have something different about this. If you do, please let us know.

Regards,
yashswa

Hi Yashwa,

We are talking here about the traits and not the inner motives. Competence and competency are two different things. Competence is a skill anyone can possess, but it is competency in behavior that really sets individuals apart. Being disciplined, having overall experience, and language proficiency—I believe these are qualities that every professional should exhibit to excel.

I would like to ask you, what competencies should an HR professional display?

Regards