BY MS. GEORGINA IBRAHIM
BEST FOUNDER & MASTER TRAINER
One of the most important traits any employee/manager has to have is ‘professionalism.’ This term is widely used in our daily business transactions: when we interact with a bank Customer Service Representative, when we call the reservation center of an airline, when we check with a medical assistant about the blood test results, when we attend an internal business meeting with people coming from other departments, etc. Examples are infinite. Whether we do it intentionally or not, we constantly look at and rate the professional aspect of the inputs, process and outputs of any business contexts. Having said so, professionalism is the no-go criterion for the individual professional success. In order to make this concept more tangible, we suggested to share with the readers the below hexagon featuring the ingredients needed to build one’s professional reputation. ‘The 6Ps of Professionalism’ is a registered concept by BESST SARL. We invite you all to benefit from these ideas and trips. Let the changes begin for a professional and shining attitude.
THE 6Ps OF HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE
1. Packaging:
There is always this sentence that comes to my mind when talking about this ingredient of professionalism: “Dress how you want to be addressed.” Do you want to be addressed “poorly?” Then go and choose the most inappropriate outfit for the occasion you are attending. You want to impress the audience in any business meeting/context? Then wear what suits this situation and respects the required dress code. Knowing the dos and don’ts of an appropriate costume doesn’t necessitate reinventing the wheel. Checking the internet, watching TV Shows or even asking the advices of an Image Consultant are the simplest steps one can do in order to embellish the external appearance. Needless to add here that packaging goes for the dress code as well as the hair, accessories, shoes, bags, hygiene, etc.
2. Presentation:
How many times were you impressed by the confidence the “army troops” project in their military march? How many times did you meet people whose body language expresses the opposite of what they say? Our body language, posture, gesture, facial expression, gait (manner of walking), eye contact, handshaking style, etc. have enormous impression on how others perceive us! If we care about others conceiving us as professionals, then we should respect the following tips for professionalism projection: keep hands out of pockets –especially men-, avoid fidgeting, keep hand gesticulations calm and under control, avoid lowering head and keep chin high, make eye contact with people you meet and talk to, sit straight and stand up straight with shoulders back, shake hands firmly and smile.
3. Promotion:
Although many people are reluctant to it, self promotion does not have to be an onerous process. In fact, promoting yourself and getting your name out there is an essential part of making new contacts and building an effective network. I will share with you a couple of techniques you can use for promoting yourself and still looking professional. First of all, meet or exceed expectations. It’s obvious that people who deliver an outstanding result make a lasting impression on others who will describe them as “professionals.” This by itself is a self promotion. Second, show constant positive attitude in what you do and take initiative. This way, people will look at you as a reliable and professional partner. They will like working with you and they will spread the word; indirectly, you are promoting yourself. Briefly, let your performance at work speak out loudly and positively about you.
4. Passion:
“Passion is energy,” as Oprah Winfrey said. I may add: if there is no energy, there is no life, no work, no development, and no evolution! Thus, if you want to succeed and look professional, do every single task with Passion, or do not do it at all. Always do your job because you like doing it, and if you don’t like it, try your best to look for what you like doing. Avoid nagging and complaining. Show appreciation to the people you work with. Make them feel you are happy serving them, solving their problems, selling them, listening to them, etc. When you are passionate about your job, you find pleasure performing it, every day. Aristotle said: “Pleasure in the job makes perfection in the work.” I will rephrase it this way: when it comes to the job we perform every day, “Passion” leads to “Pleasure” which leads to “Perfection” and, definitely to “Professionalism.”
5. People:
The whole concept of “Professionalism” will be useless if “People” are not included. Professionalism is needed to impress others, be it our clients, colleagues, bosses, or subordinates, etc. Having said so, it’s extremely important we work on building healthy relationships with the people we work and deal with. Thus, it’s recommended we uplift our “Communication Skills.” I made sure to write skill with an “s” to highlight the weight “communication” has in our relationship building. Skills such as assertiveness, listening, giving feedback, introducing others, are not but tools we use in order to build bridges with others. The more we construct sound bridges, the more our relationships are healthy, effective and professional.
6. Persistence:
Let us agree on one thing: you can’t earn a good reputation by doing a good thing only once! Simultaneously, you can’t be professional if you decide to take care of your appearance on Mondays only and sure you can’t be professional if you show “passion” when dealing with customer only because the supervisor is passing by your place. You can’t adjust your communication style simple if you know the telephone call with be recorded. The few previous examples stress the necessity of applying the first 5 Ps on a regular basis. A reputation is not earned overnight. To be professional, you have to live professionalism every day. It should become a “style de vie.” After we briefly covered the 6Ps of Highly “Professional” people, it’s not an excuse for anyone anymore to claim that she/he doesn’t know how to become one. Yes, the process is not easy. It requires nonstop effort and persistence. However the outcome is very tempting. It really pays off to be a professional.
