The Nature of Being a Professional

I like what Chris Joseph says, “Being a professional in your chosen field means much more than wearing a lab coat and possessing a college degree and a license to practice, or an important title.”1 Those are good words to live by in our professional lives.As audiologists and hearing aid specialists who serve children and adults with disorders of hearing and their families, we are important health services professionals. Therefore, it requires us to provide the highest level of patient care. We strive to serve our patients with the level of professional care that leads to the assurance that they are being served competently. We are professionals—we are expected to act like professionals, we are expected to serve our patients as professionals, and we are expected to interact with our colleagues as professionals. But what is a professional? There are about as many definitions regarding what comprises professionalism as there are those with opinions on the subject. Yasmin Anderson-Smith has written extensively on the subject, and in her writings she refers to the fact that most of us can call up examples of unprofessional behavior–from dishonesty, to dressing sloppily with an “I don’t care how I look” attitude, or bad behavior at last year’s holiday party.2 She continues in her writings that it seems unfair to judge an individual exclusively by their behavior or appearance. Rather, one’s evaluation should include both performance and appearance. However, in most service environments, judgements are made about service providers based on the professional image they display both from their behavior and appearance, as well as their performance while serving their patients. In a “Professional Seminar in Audiology” that I have taught on behalf of our Doctor of Audiology students for many years, I talk to them about “the 2-minute rule”. That rule states that our patients, their families, or our potential patients or colleagues make a decision about us within the first 2 minutes when we meet them for the first time after we enter the room where they are located. Their impression of us as we enter the room where they are waiting is made within those first 2 minutes, and that first impression is difficult to erase. Their decision as to whether they desire to receive services by us, or a potential employer’s desire to hire us is made quickly as they view our appearance, how we greet them, our eye contact, our manner of speech, our grooming and other factors they may have observed when making their first appraisal of us (Stovall & Hull).3 A potential patient may have never received services provided by us before or even met us, but that 2-minute appraisal may determine whether they desire to be served by us, or whether they will return to receive them, or that potential employer’s desire to have us as a member of their staff. Did they view us as a professional to improve their hearing difficulties, or desire us to join their staff in order to serve their patients? But defining real professionalism is not as easy What are the core elements of professionalism? What comprises a person who is seen as a true professional? Opinions on that subject seem to boil down to around 8 characteristics that those who have achieved the status of being a real professional will possess.1–4 Humility. Professionals are generally not ego oriented. Some of the most famous, rich, successful women and men in the world are also among the most kind, modest, humble, and unassuming that any of us would have the pleasure of knowing. They are people you would want to work with or be served by. They treat others with respect while demonstrating the utmost competence at what they do. Confidence. They don’t have to wear a lab coat and hold an important title to be a professional. Just because you may possess those doesn’t make you a professional. They are professionals because of how they conduct themselves and by treating those they serve with respect and in a nurturing manner while demonstrating the confidence they have in their own knowledge and skills. Competence. Professionals are those who work to become experts in their profession. This past week, we had an ant exterminator at our house working to eliminate those pesky little insects. He has had 36 years of experience in his profession, and he worked with confidence and competence. The result was perfect. He didn’t have to tell us that he was a professional. He demonstrated professionalism and competence in his demeanor and his skills as an insect exterminator. Ethics. Physicians, lawyers, psychologists, teachers, audiologists and speech-language pathologists must adhere to a strict code of professional ethics and demonstrate them. Even if your company or clinic doesn’t have a written code, a professional always displays ethical behavior. Phone and email etiquette. Phone and email messages are responded to as quickly as is reasonably possible. Delayed or no response is a sure giveaway that you as the recipient evidently did not care. Always respond in a prompt, respectful and courteous manner, no matter who the response is being sent to. Poise. Even under highly stressful conditions, professionals approach others with patience and respect. They demonstrate an air of poise and confidence that everything will be okay. Appearance. A professional is neat in appearance. Shaggy beards, exposed tattoos, ear, nose and lip piercings, tee shirts and baggy slacks do not impress those we serve. Professionals meet or even exceed the expectations of neatness at work and when meeting the public. Tidiness. Your office or even your humble cubicle should be kept clean and tidy. The neatness of your personal workspace says a great deal about your ability to preserve order in your work and your ability to maintain exemplary performance in the outcomes of your services. Developing Our Professional Image We want to maintain, or develop, or at least improve our professional image. Our image as a professional is critical to improving or maintaining our status as a competent service provider. Yasmin Anderson-Smith (2017) and Stovall and Hull (2017) provide some advice to those who strive to enhance their professional image.2,3 Those include: Dress to impress. Your image matters. In other words, dress the way you want to be addressed in your professional life. Make sure that your social skills are up to par. Errors in social environments will not only embarrass you but also quickly lower your personal image. Build your own “personal brand” that will allow you to stand out with distinction in a positive way. Be likeable. Adopt a positive attitude. In other words, be positive in your daily life at work and at play. Watch what you write. There is a vast difference between the cryptic language and spelling used on an iPhone or the spelling and language used when communicating to a close friend via email or letter. Perfect your writing skills to impress those with whom you are communicating electronically or by mail. Your written language should be at the same professional level as that used in your verbal interactions. In the mirror, what do you see? Make sure that what you see is how you want those you serve to know you. And, in the end … probably one of the most important characteristics of professionalism involves respect—remembering that people appreciate working with or being served by people who make them feel respected. That to me is an extremely important characteristic of what is called professionalism.