ASPIRING TO PROFESSIONALISM

It seems that professionalism is at least partially about respecting other people as you go about your work, and respect is clearly an aspect of ethics. But professionalism is more than this. More than once, I've heard the opinion that professionalism, simply stated, means doing what is right. Is that not what integrity and the application of your ethical standards are all about? Of course it is. But it's more than that.

In his book True Professionalism: The Courage to Care about Your People, Your Clients, and Your Career , writer David Maister suggests that

professionalism is predominantly an attitude, not a set of competencies real professionalism has little, if anything, to do with which business you are in, what role within that business you perform, or how many degrees you have. Rather it implies pride in work, a commitment to quality, a dedication to the interests of the client, and a sincere desire to help. ^[9]

It seems that cultivating professionalism as a personal quality is one of the ways you can move toward an ethical approach to your work in public relations.

^[9] Maister, D (2000) True Professionalsim: The Courage to Care about Your People, Your Clients, and Your Career , Touchstone Press, New York, pp 16, 17