It takes more than looking like a professional to be a professional. Wearing a suit like a lawyer, CEO or politician does not make you professional. It is about attitude and behavior. Being professional means doing what you say, saying what you mean and getting the job done. Some people automatically label things or situations they don’t want to deal with as unprofessional. Some examples include use of foul language in the workplace, office romances and other situations. However, employees are human beings so this kind of behavior is to be expected.
To be labeled as a professional, you need to do the right thing even if it costs you money and effort. Here are some examples of being unprofessional.
Being Unresponsive
Some people ignore calls, emails, texts and other forms of communication to avoid dealing with a problematic situation. However, nobody said that work would be easy. Being unresponsive to co-workers or superiors could lead to more problems like delays and miscommunication. Employees are paid to do a certain job and this sometimes includes dealing with uncomfortable situations.
Blaming
Sometimes people blame external factors or other people for situations they create. This is immature and could cause problems for co-workers. Also, problems that are blamed on other factors don’t get solved immediately which in turn creates more problems.
Breaking Promises
Promises are a professional expectation which is why not keeping them is unprofessional. Keeping promises like getting a job done at a certain time frame for example and then breaking it can cause problems for people who are expecting the promise to be fulfilled. Professionals do what they say they are going to do.
Don’t Share Knowledge
Your mind won’t be emptied if you share something that you know about the work to be done. Contrary to popular belief, information is not a limited resource. Knowledge should be thought as an ocean of facts not a stream of data. Sharing what you know could keep you one step of the competition.
Not Saying Thank You
Saying thank you is simple and shows good manners. This has been drilled to many of us since childhood but some people lose this courtesy when they grow up. Saying thank you communicates appreciation, gratitude and respect.
Putting Profit Ahead of Customers
There are people who need reminding that there is no business without customers. Selling defective products or advertising more than the product can do are examples of this kind of unprofessional behavior. If you put customers first, they will patronize your product and even recommend you to other people thereby growing your business.
Poor Communication
Nowadays we have email, text, cell phones and social media aside from the traditional telephone and letters. How is it that even with modern technology some people are still bad communicators? To do a job effectively, you need to communicate clearly to other people what you need done and how to do it properly. In this case, all working adults should take steps to improve or polish their communication skills.
Not Giving More
There are workers who do not give their jobs 100%. This is because many of them want to do what is easy. However, part of being an adult and a professional do what is best even if it is harder. If you collect 100% of your salary, you should also do 100% of your job.
Lying or Stealing
This is very unprofessional but countless people do this in their jobs every day. No matter how small or big it is, lying and stealing is wrong. Even if you’re just 5 minutes late but saying you were on time is already being unprofessional.
Negative Reaction to Criticism
Nobody is perfect so getting criticized is to be expected at work. However, there are people who have thin skin or react negatively even to constructive criticism. When delivered correctly, criticism helps to correct bad behavior or unprofessionalism. Think of them as challenges you need to conquer so that you can improve.
Politics
It is often disappointing to learn that a colleague got promoted based on who they know rather than merit. Putting you or your friend’s interest ahead of the organization’s can result in poor results and decisions. Being professional means doing what is right so rely on skills and reputation to advance your career.
Sometimes professional behavior means doing what you do not want to do. It requires maturity, self awareness and integrity.
