What is professionalism? Just do what you say you do. Simple.

In a suit, or a smart shirt. Looking sleek. Clean, aesthetically pleasing, eloquent when they speak. Follows orders, sticks to strict processes, never gets emotional.

Does any of that tick your boxes for someone you would deem professional?

What does being professional mean to you?

I think for me it is so simple, after working with so many people. I don’t care how you dress. I don’t care how you look, or which words you choose to use. You see, I actually hate the meaning of “coming across as professional”. That is so full of shit.

I only care about one thing. If you say you do something, do it. And do it with the most thought and care in the world.

That’s it.

Simple right? No. Many people can’t actually do this, and it is the reason why we struggle to find the right business partners, customers, friends, soul mates, team members, employees, and everyone else in between.

Professionalism is simply integrity

I think professionalism is simply integrity. It says a lot about a person, and whether you want them in your life or in your company. Because frankly speaking, you have to give time to these people. Your time. Are you willing to give your time to someone with no integrity?

Wait, what is integrity?!?!

I have already described it. It is just the fancy word for do what you say you’ll do. Get it?

Whether you say you will get a piece of work done on this day and send it, then do it. Whether you say you will call me tomorrow, or next week. Or if you say you will jump off a plane (with parachutes I hope).

Don’t get me wrong, there is room for flexibility

I’m not that much of a dick (up to the moment until you’re taking the piss). I know complex projects have lots of moving parts and require constant juggling and re-prioritisation, especially when there is a lack of resources, money, people, or tools. So we may need to communicate changes of plan. But that’s fine. That’s the game.

Setting and managing expectations. Communicating a change of course of action. Not keeping someone in the dark until it is too late and the deadline has already been missed.

The best people I have worked with

I get it. If you can tick all the boxes and also do what you say you do, with all that glossy finish, brilliant. But that is so rare to find.

The best people I have worked with are generally eccentric and odd balls. Some with tattoos. Some who dress strangely in just a T shirt and shorts. Posture a little awkward. Mostly quiet, unless they have something to say about something they are passionate about.

None of the glossy shit. They push back to say no. They can be opinionated, and not just opinionated because of their ego or ignorance. They are opinionated based on their vast experience and vast knowledge which they accrued over decades, and they are still continuously learning and exploring.

As I repeat myself many times, those who know their shit tend to know that the more you learn about something, the more you know that you don’t know (just the tip of the iceberg). The opposite of the Dunning-Kruger effect, where the less you know, the more you think you know.

I used to be a yes man

I think in my life I have the most friction here. Most of the time I am pushing back, setting expectations, and balancing reality with fictitious deliverables and timescales.

Someone who had worked on so many programmes and projects taught me to say no. It is better to be frankly honest and reject a client than to set yourself up to fail, or to disappoint them.

I used to be a yes man. Then I found myself burning myself out, chasing the illusionary goal posts that someone else set. Not something agreed upon. Not something realistic. That changed over the years as I gained experience, and as I met and interacted with the tens of thousands of people who have come and gone through my life, with only a few who still stay within my circle.

It is hard to find and meet people with integrity, because these people live and breathe it. To be able to do what you say requires growing up with principles, learning, growing, pushing limits. This is why this world needs contracts and laws, because most people’s words don’t mean shit lol.

What about you?

You can argue there are many other variables, characteristics, traits, principles. Sure. But my opinion is integrity sits above all else. Without this, I have serious trust issues.

If I asked for an apple and you give me a pear, I will be shaking me head. Not up and down lol.

So what about you? If you had to pick one thing about a person that you would give your time for, what would that be?

It can be anything. I ain’t judging!