Professionalism101

 

1. A professional has a pen;
2. doesn't complain about jet lag; it came with the job they accepted;
3. gets places on time. Whatever.
4. Is friendly at the check-in desk. Not just to get a free up-grade.
5. Knows what's important.
6. Doesn't ever, ever say: I don't have time. That's a given: they have an exciting job, cool friends and a loving family. That’s why they don’t have time.
7. But a professional can and does make necessary choices including:
8. doing what’s necessary, even when they don’t feel like doing it;
9. whether it’s one more sales call;
10. one more customized job application;
11. or a bed-time story to their four and six year olds;
12. or getting up at 515am to make the appointment in Felixtowe.
13. He/she prefers I/we and owning an issue rather than he/she/they and blaming others.
14. Keeps his/her feet on the ground and knows the price of 1 litre of milk.
15. Parks in the right place not in those reserved for customers. Unless he/she is a customer.
16. Thanks people; whether or not the person was just ‘doing their job’;
17. Looks people in the eye and speaks clearly, rather than mutter from the depths of their laptop.
18. Doesn't check their phone in the middle of your conversation.
19. Follows-through. Follows-up. Closes down.
20. Follows the best in their field; is determined to be within the top 10%;
21. Respects difference but allows no excuses;
22. Leads through skill, competence and attitude not (solely) job title.
23. Knows any system can be improved.;
24.  Listens to understand not just to be polite.
25. Keeps his/her addictions e.g. junk TV under control.
26. Understands the weather was intended as a daily challenge, not a daily comfort. And runs 5km whatever.
27. Every person who has mastered a profession is a skeptic concerning it. George Bernard Shaw
28. Knows the 'off' switch as well as the 'vibrate' switch on their Blackberry.
29. Has decided their priorities;
30.  and their daily activities are aligned with those priorities.
31. Can cope with odd-numbered lists.
32. Doesn’t use ‘everybody’ does it’ as an excuse.
33. Thinks through the consequences of an action.
34.  Helps others in their career just as (or not) others helped him/her on their career.
35. Understands every day is perfect for the challenges they need.
36. Can iron a shirt. Box-fold, too. Get coffee stains out of a blouse. And stop a shaving cut really quickly;
37. Has a plan B, even if they are M&S.
38. Knows how to pronounce the name of their Japanese host;
39. Stays quiet about his/her views of bull-fighting when in Spain;
40. Reads deep;
41. Reads wide;
42. The best augury of a man’s success in his profession is that he thinks it the finest in the world. George Eliot
43. Realises that work is only the day job;
44. Professionalism is knowing how to do it, when to do it and actually doing it. Frank Tyger.
45. Understands that his job title means nothing unless it is turned into action,
46. Learnt a long time ago that he/she is only as good as their last gig;
47. And that 1957 was the last year in which you could brag about having an MBA. Now it’s best to keep it quiet until people ask: how come you are so brilliant?
48. Spends little time with negative people;
49. Learns from those who are older, especially the powers of reflection and wisdom;
50. Learns from those who are younger especially the powers of downright silliness, spontaneity and JFDI.
51. Has deleted the phrases I don’t have time…
52. …When I was your age…
53. If I were you…
54. ..let me give you a copy of the slide-deck..
55. …bl**dy marketing….
56. ..I could never write a book…
    
57. …and even if I did who would publish it…
    
58. …play ball yourself, kids. I may join you later…
59. From their vocabulary.
60. Knows that leadership is a mindset.
61. That listening is tough but powerful.
62. That the Blackberry was a massive breakthrough but it could cause your massive breakdown if used poorly;
63. That email is best batched not picked at;
64. That PowerPoint is a tool not a channel;
65. That there is 'dress down' and there is scruffy;
66. There is 'one of the lads' and embarrassing;
67. That their is ,in confidence' and gossip;
68. Its very easy to attack/destroy-
69. Much harder to build, augment, be a help and think abundant
70. Says sorry;
71. Says how can I help you?
72. Doesn’t say:
73. Send me a mail
    
74. Not my area  and turn away
    
75. That’s typical of them
76. Thinks...
77. Reflects...
78. Laughs...
79. Wonders..
80. Copies to learn, innovates to raise standards;
81. Realises that parenting is the toughest leadership job on the planet and loves it;
82. Sets an accurate expectation
83. And then keeps to it.
84. We've never lost an American in space, and we're sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option. Gene Kranz Apollo 13 mission.
85. Believes in him/her-self;
86. Knows it takes years to achieve over-night success;
87. Is inspired by all kinds of sources;
88. Has made endless cock-ups. But learnt from most of them.
89. Will make endless cock-ups but knows he/she will grow from almost  everyone of them.
90. That business is a cycle: when it’s good, don’t forget that it can be bad. Build resources to be recession-proof.
91. That some people love being a martyr and now is not the time to help them;
92. That 99% of business can be conducted with pencil+paper+brain. Much else can be a real distraction;
93. Breaking patterns such as taking a real day off or driving a different route or learning to play a key-board apart from anything else keeps you thinking.
94. Life’s a journey not a destination;
95.  The quarterly figures are just a blip on a bigger landscape;
96. Perspectives are key: 24h, this week, the quarter, 2009 and next 5y.
97. Has watched many a sun-rise;
98. And many a sunset;
99. And knows the power of people;
100. When lead by a professional;
101. To make the world a better place.

Bonus 1: Professionalism 101 the hard-copy mini-book.

Bonus 2: Be Bold 101, the movie.