tenchi069

Maleficent's post "Crying in the Workplace" reminded me of a conversation I had with a couple of friends just recently. It seems everyone has a different take on what is and what is not Professional. First off I would l like to say so as to not be misunderstood, though I am going to bring up a couple that you had similarly made in your post Maleficent, these are shared by many people, and I do not intend any opposing views to seem like an attack on that post.

My friend, who I will call "Bob", believes that professionalism is the completion of one's job as a duty and that any personal belief or influence should be locked away while at work.

Another friend "Tom", believes that professionalism is doing your work as you are told, how you are told, and collecting your check at the end of the week.

My personal opinion on what is professional is being a human being and being fair to all involved. Acting mature about it is another major factor. When dealing with a boss, coworker, or client, I treat them all as my equal, and I treat them all fairly ( the way I wish to be treated ). I also realize that they, like me, are all human, and prone to the same strengths and fallicies that humans are subject to. I am not going to "take my ball and go home" if I'm losing a basketball game, and I'm not going to "take my projects, contacts, and notes and go home" if I'm not the one chosen by my boss to lead a project. I'm also not going to yell and stomp off at either of those situations either. But, if I don't like how the rules are going, and I don't think that it is fair, I am going to stop playing the ball game and stop working at the place I am in.

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Problem Lies Between Seat and Keyboard.

maleficent

I think I have walked thru fire on more than one occassion with the guys I work with - -the stories I could tell.. .OI VEY!!! Are we a professional bunch? Not one bit - to the outside world... we just moved to a smaller office, but our last office, was a big open space, and on any given moment -- you could expect to have a nerf ball come flying at your head, or other things - we all had toys that usually got flung at one another-- some of the boys had an afternoon baseball game... with my desk as third base...

My boss, for some medical condition, uses testestone patches - and he's worse than a woman with PMS when he's on a fresh patch - he's got a firey temper and doesnt care who he explodes at... doors get slammed -- people get screamed at... not exactly the most adult environment...

BUT when it comes down to it - I've been on the otherside of the world... in the middle of a database meltdown and a client on a deadline... and i got an engineer out of bed at like 3am... and he spent the next hour or so getting the problem resolved witih me... no complaints... no whining about it... I've had the other engineers stay til quite late in the morning- getting ready for an important demo... the mentality with them - whatever it takes to get the job done...

My colleagues and i have a loyalty to one another - yes we can yell and scream - or rathe rthey can - i'm not a screamer... but when it comes down to it - I know Iam going to get what I need out of them... and that I will have the ability to get the job done.. and that's what I really think professionalism is all about...

Crying because you don't want to do something - just bugs the stuffing out of me... or rather the unwillingness to even try and resorting to tears bugs the stuffing out of me -- ya gotta give something...

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tenchi069

all very healthy productive activities and still professional by my reasoning, not so by my friends

this is the human aspect to which I was referring, you are human and understand what it takes to get it done and realize that your boss is a human with a condition and not some robot that doesnt fit a "part"

I completely agree with you. Crying to avoid doing something you don't want to is the same as throwing a temper tantrum, kicking and yelling on the floor because you got overtime..


Btw, there was one job I was working telephone tech support, and while telling someone how to reformat their system I was trying to knock down a pewter wizard with a nerf ball from 20 feet away ( before having my pewter knight knocked out by the same type of nerf ball. )

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Problem Lies Between Seat and Keyboard.

raeanna74

Common courtesy, basic manners, and omitting negative emotional outbursts are the bare minimum in my opinion. I believe that neatness, punctuality, and being relatively organized are icing on the cake and make a person appear more professional but aren't quite as crucial.

One should be able to expect a lack of verbally or physically violent outbursts. I get somewhat emotional when I am PMSing. It only comes out as a little louder voice, shortness, and some irritation. I don't NORMALLY throw things, yell, or cry much unless I've had a very bad long day, feel miserable and I'm at HOME. Poor hubby and kid what they put up with.

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Sgoilear

To me being professional means being able to get the job done well, on time and with good results. If it's a high pressure situation and people need to relax by tossing darts for ten minutes and winging a nerf ball around I'm good with it.

Other impotant things that I agree with raeanna mentioned. Being neat, on time most of the time and relatively organized.

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"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." -George Bernard Shaw

analog

To me, professionalism is a balance of your customer or support base, and your employee base.

If you happen to work in an office that doesn't accept anything less than 100% strict adherence to work ethic, maturity- in effect, a have-fun-on-your-own-time type of place, then that is being professional in that environment.

If, however, you work for a place where they realize the best workers are stress-free workers, and allow the prevailing comradery to turn into the occasional NERF toss and assorted wacky antics, professionalism is just getting the job done, and giving that truly "professional" appearance to the top brass, and to your customers.

At my job with the cell phone store, we goofed around a LOT- but when there were no customers. We threw stuff around, played cards, did all sorts of wacky shit... but when a customer walked through the door, we were proper gentlemen and ladies and as professional as you could ask for- and that, to me, is what counts.