Physics of Professionalism

The definition of professionalism reads thus “It is an essential trait both in business and society. It is that quality which drives a person's appearance, personal and professional interactions, and which provides others with a first impression”

Professionalism plays an important role in how a person is perceived by the employer, co-workers and casual contacts. The way a person first presents himself / herself in a meeting, whether casual or professional, can form the opinions of each person in the room.

The greater the degree to which a person illustrate professionalism, the easier it will be for him/ her to be set apart from people around. The more a person displays professionalism, more the gates of opportunities for success will be opened.

Is just technical skill enough?

Job-related skill or in other terms technical skills is a must, but they are NOT sufficient when it comes to progressing up the ladder. With the traditional paternalistic style of leadership becoming pass, professional managers expect their teams to be proactive and communicate openly.

Soft skills are very important in any business. It is essential to be technically sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to the masses in the simplest possible manner.

With the boom in industry taking root across countries, many professionals and subject matter experts directly deal with their clients on a regular basis. Their approachability and people skills are what ultimately sustain the contract their employers have bagged.

6 recommendations for every professional

Behavioral training experts prescribe several soft skills that are required to facilitate these circumstances. Some of them are:

i. Interpersonal skills
ii. Team spirit
iii. Social grace
iv. Business etiquette
v. Negotiation skills
vi. Traits such as attitude, motivation.

Do you have a positive result for these recommendations? If your answer is yes, then it’s good for you. But if your answer is no, then you know it is time to approach either the training department in your organization or a training consultant.

Will training enhance your soft skill?

Having said that you might wonder whether it is possible to enhance soft skills in a few hours of training? To this the reality is a professional who wants to do well in his/ her career does not really have a choice.

In the initial years of your career, your technical abilities are important to get good assignments. However, when it comes to growth in the organization, it is your personality that matters.

Training on soft skills becomes all the more relevant in a country like India where the education system does not explore into personality development. "Soft skill training is essential because we do not have it in our academics. Corporate have to take up the task of grooming employees who are the link between the company and the external world.

You can be your own trainer

While organizations are definitely investing in augmenting their staff's people skills, here is the prescription for professionals who would like to initiate the process themselves:

i. Be a part of team activities
ii. Ask family members or close friends to write down your best and worst traits.
iii. How well do you manage your time?
iv. Introspect on how you react to feedback.
v. How good are you at critiquing? vi. Live consciously