In my understanding, professionalism is a high level of human skills which allow him to succeed in the chosen business. Also it is a talent of devoting your soul to what you are doing here and now.
Everything genial is simple. This is the truth. People think that their problems should be solved exceptionally difficultly. Professionalism completely refutes this misconception. Professionalism is a simple answer to a very complex question. Probably, a lot of people noted that the real professional answers any question easily. And everything becomes clear at once. Therefore, a true professionalism is an ability to see a very simple solution of a very sophisticated problem. It always exists (Norton, 2010).
There is another tricky criterion of professionalism: a real professional is not irritated by the lack of professionalism of the other people. When a person is just an amateur, he will be annoyed by the other person's incompetence. A professional is confident and calm. He realizes that there must be some dilettantes, that the life is not possible without different levels of professionalism and you cannot escape from the foolish people and careerists who consider themselves as luminaries in the business which is far from their understanding. There is no sense is wasting the forces in order to prove their lack of professionalism (Norton, 2010).
Professionalism involves a “friendship” with intuition. When a person becomes a professional, he starts to really understand what is better in this or that situation. It means that he has acquired a professional vision - intuition. He does not need any additional facts, arguments or formulas. He just starts to see the verity (Norton, 2010).
Each individual has his own path to the professionalism. In order to become a professional in a particular field it is necessary to have some knowledge, abilities and skills and constantly improve them.
Many people think that a higher education gives them the right to be a professional. But it happens that a person, having no education, earns a fortune because of his intelligence and talents. Or a person has a degree in some specialty, but operates in a completely different sphere and succeeds in the business which is no way related to his education. A good education enables a person to master the skills during the learning process. The presence of education does not guarantee that a person will become a professional. This is only the right to work and an extra chance to succeed in life.
A real professionalism consists in conscientious performance of your duties, constant development, an ability to organize, create, earn money, motivate your activities and be engaged in self-realization. All these must be backed up by determination and belief in success. It is much harder to become a professional than to determine what qualities he must possess (Norton, 2010).
I believe that all professionals, regardless of their occupation, must have a certain set of qualities which I have described earlier. However, the skills and abilities of the professionals should differ according to their job. For example, a professional doctor may say what is wrong with the patient as soon as he crosses the threshold. But hardly a professional expert in marketing will be able to do the same. And it is not necessary for him because it is not in his competence.
A Connection between Leadership and Professionalism
A leader is a person, who built himself, i.e., he is self-made. You cannot be taught how to become a leader - it is not necessary to have a higher education or finish some courses. An individual becomes a leader if he has a desire, and he leads the others (Newman, 2011).
In my opinion, these are the qualities which characterize the leader:
• Initiative (I think, generate the solutions, put forward the ideas and control)
• Speed (I think and plan quickly)
• Professionalism (I know, I can and I have an experience)
Here we reached the essence. Leadership and professionalism are not synonymous. In other words, a leader is a person who possesses professionalism. But at the same time a professional does not have to be a leader (Newman, 2011).
In conclusion I would like to say that professionalism is based on the ability to see the integrity of the process or phenomenon, as well as the ways to achieve the goals. This ability is formed during the process of education and experience. Undoubtedly, personal traits, intellectual and spiritual potential of a person predetermine the “height” of his achievements.
References
Alan Norton. (2010). 10 things that define a true professional. Retrieved from http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-things-that-define-a-true-professional/
Stephen Newman. (2011). The Links Between Professionalism and Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/123122-the-links-between-professionalism-and-leadership/
