This document summarizes a professionalism workshop presented by Margot McGowen. The workshop defined professionalism and discussed its importance for college students transitioning to the workplace. It addressed communication, personal interaction, work ethic, appearance, and adherence to professional standards and ethics. Interactive activities were used to explore these aspects of professionalism and how students can develop their professional identity and plan for professional success.

1. H2P
Professionalism
Workshop
Facilitator:
Margot McGowen
H2P Student
Success Coach
PROFESSIONALISM 101

2.  Housekeeping Rules:
 Everyone must sign in
 Objectives of Workshop:
 To define professionalism and discuss what it takes to be a
professional
 To talk about professional standards and discuss the ramifications of
violating ethical and professional standards
 To test your professional judgment
 To make a plan for your professional and personal success
 ICE BREAKER
 What is your best professional asset?
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

3.  In True Professionalism: The Courage to Care About Your
People, Your Clients, and Your Career, David Maister writes
that “professionalism is predominantly an attitude…it implies
pride in work, a commitment to quality, a dedication to the
interests of the client, and a sincere desire to help.”
 According to Professor Claudine Sherrill of Texas Women’s
University (2006), professionalism is
a lifelong set of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that must be
learned, internalized, personally constructed and reconstructed.
Professionalism does not just happen with the completion of a
degree and certification…[it] must be explicitly taught, motivated,
modelled, mentored, evaluated, and expected from the moment a
student declares a specialization in one of the recognized
professions (56).
 What does professionalism mean to you?
DEFINING PROFESSIONALISM

4.  Students should understand that “professional self-
identity is a ‘state of mind – identifying one’s-self as
a member of a professional group” (Crossley &
Vivekananda-Schmidt, 2009, e603).
 Considered together, all these things imply that
students must begin developing a professional
persona while in the college setting. For example,
the following considerations are important in setting
a professional tone: telephone etiquette, modes of
communication, conversational decorum, proper
dress, etc.
PROFESSIONALISM AND THE COLLEGE
STUDENT

5.  A 2010 poll of HR and business leaders conducted for the Center for
Professional Excellence (CPE) at York College of Pennsylvania
identified five primary characteristics of professionalism:
 1) personal interaction skills, including courtesy and respect,
 2) skills to communicate and listen
 3) a great work ethic
 4) being motivated and staying on task until the job is completed
 5) professional appearance, self-confidence and awareness.
 According to the poll, nearly 60 percent of the hiring decisions for new
college graduates are based on assessments of the applicants’
professionalism.
 Moreover, one in every three respondents believed that fewer than half
of all new graduates’ exhibit professionalism in the workplace. Those
who cited a decrease in professionalism pointed to young workers’
sense of entitlement for the jobs, changes in culture and values, and
lack of work ethic among new workers.
TRANSITIONING TO THE WORKPLACE

6.  Poll shows that many college grads fail to show the needed
level of personal professionalism. WHY?
 Casual dress
 Culture of “pass” rather than “excel”
 Lax attendance policies
 Other ideas?
 Therefore, students may assume that they can continue to
dress casually, be routinely tardy, and exert little to no effort
when completing tasks on the job.
 These assumptions are incorrect and may result in newly graduated
students receiving poor performance ratings during 30-day, 3-month,
6-month, and annual employment evaluations which help determine
whether you will be retained or let go. Often full-time employees are
on probation for the first 3-6 months of employment.
TRANSITIONING TO THE WORKPLACE

7. ASPECTS OF
PROFESSIONALISM

8.  Workplace listening - a type of active listening that is
generally employed in a professional environment. Workplace
listening includes understanding the listening process (i.e.
perception, interpretation, evaluation, and action) and its
barriers that hamper the flow of that process.
 It is imperative to become aware of the role of nonverbal
communication in communicating in the workplace, as
understanding messages wholly entails more than simple
verbal messages.
 Standard language use is mandatory. Always consider the
context and the receiver of the intended message.
 Would you greet your boss with “Hey Dude, wassup”?
 What could hinder your ability to listen/receive messages?
COMMUNICATION

9.  In this increasingly digital age of communication, we sometimes forget
who our audience is. When communicating by email or through
academic writing, it is important to remember the following:
 Text lingo or slang is not appropriate. Use full sentences, follow the rules of
grammar, and be sure to double check the meaning of words you are not very
familiar with (syntax).
 Even when sending short email messages through work/school, the
communication is the property of the school/employer. This means it can be
subpoenaed and used against you. Threatening and or harassing communication
IS NOT ACCEPTABLE and can cost you in the short and long run.
 Unless otherwise specified in your syllabus or employer handbook, text
messaging is not an appropriate mode for communicating absences or
other business/academic-related things.
 What is your employer policy on reporting absences? Class policy?
COMMUNICATION

10.  Professional courtesy and respect– Always take the time to be
polite and to treat your coworkers and supervisors with
respect. Considering the feelings of others is extremely
important.
 How does professional courtesy affect you?
 You can expect to be treated with respect in return.
 Criticism is not constructive. – Fostering a creative
environment where everyone is solving problems and pushing
for excellence requires collaboration, not criticism.
 When disagreements arise or a correction is required, “I don’t like
this” should be followed by “here’s why, and here’s a suggestion for
how you might proceed.”
 Assist, foster, and collaborate rather than attacking. (Golden Rule)
PERSONAL INTERACTION

11.  Voicing concerns vs. venting frustration – Voicing is acting to
uphold a standard. Venting is releasing a feeling and/or
opinion. Voicing speaks, venting responds.
 Always present concerns in a constructive manner. Frame in a
positive light if at all possible.
 You can choose to come across as the team player who wants to
improve the situation, or the Negative Nancy who is always causing
trouble.
 Do you know a workplace/classroom bully?
 Gossip
 Putdowns
 Negativity
 How do you respond to a workplace bully?
PERSONAL INTERACTION

12.  Nine Ground Rules for Cohesive Team Behavior
(2013, Tac4 Solutions)
1. No complaining at all until willing to take action.
2. Blame the process, not the person.
3. Respect everyone on the team, assuming good motives.
4. Directly confront, with no triangulation.
5. Voice opinions strongly and respectfully.
6. Only rely on and restate what you know to be absolutely true.
7. Fully commit to team decisions and strategies.
8. Create accountability among the team.
9. Be an advocate for the team and these ground rules throughout the
organization.
PERSONAL INTERACTION

13.  Work Ethic is a set of values based on hard work and
diligence. A work ethic may include being reliable, having
initiative, or pursuing new skills.
 “Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals, and then to work
toward them every day, will do more to guarantee your success than
any other single factor.” ~ Brian Tracy
 “Success is a function of persistence and doggedness and the
willingness to work hard for twenty-two minutes to make sense of
something that most people would give up on after thirty seconds.”
~ Alan Schoenfeld
 He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk
and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. ~Friedrich
Nietzsche
WORK ETHIC

14.  5 Factors That Demonstrate a Strong Work Ethic
1. Integrity - An employee with integrity fosters trusting relationships with
clients, coworkers and supervisors. Coworkers value the employee's
ability to give honest feedback. Clients trust the employee's advice.
Supervisors rely on the employee's high moral standards, trusting him
not to steal from the company or create problems.
2. Sense of Responsibility – Feeling personally responsible for job
performance, showing up on time, putting in best effort.
3. Emphasis on Quality – caring about the quality of work, not just
churning out the bare minimum
4. Discipline – completing tasks/assignments, staying focused on goals
5. Sense of Teamwork – respect peers, help the team to meet its goals
(Jenkins, Amelia, and Demand Media. "5 Factors That Demonstrate a
Strong Work Ethic." Small Business. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.)
WORK ETHIC

15.  Appearance - Your demeanor and dress should reflect the
professionalism it takes to do your job and be neat, clean, and
appropriate for the workplace.
 What is your workplace dress code? Class dress code?
 Self Confidence – Show that you can handle any situation, even
accepting tasks outside your comfort zone. Confidence enables
you to encourage others to adapt to changing situations in the
work environment. (Noe, D.P., “The Importance of Confidence in the Workplace”)
 Cultural Awareness – Includes overcoming stereotypes and
treating everyone the same.
 How can you increase your cultural knowledge?
 Safety Awareness – Working safely and efficiently, using safety
gear, etc. Continuing education and workplace training will help
maintain safety standards.
OVERALL DEMEANOR

16.  Every field has a set of professional standards under which all
members or employees operate. For instance, public school
teachers in Kentucky adhere to state Teacher Performance
Standards, national education standards, and the Kentucky
School Personnel Code of Ethics. Similarly, nurses, law
enforcement agents, social service workers, doctors,
attorneys, journalists, and many other professionals are
bound by state, local, and profession specific codes of
conduct, ethics, and standards.
 Ethical conduct includes considerations related to privacy
(HIPPA/FERPA and refraining from gossiping and/or spreading
rumors), honesty, and maintaining a positive and appropriate
professional attitude.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND STANDARDS

17.  Individuals who fail to abide by professional standards lose
their jobs and run the risk of losing professional and personal
integrity and credibility.
 Students must assess personal and professional standards
now because the ethics you have now will cross over into your
professional positions. Things like lying, cheating, stealing
(even small things), etc. will cause you to lose your job.
 What are some Professional and Ethical Standards in your
workplace and industry?
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND STANDARDS

18. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

19.  What you are doing now – the way you dress, the way you
present yourself in all settings, the way you interact with
colleagues, fellow students, professors, employers, etc. – is a
part of your professional identity. You must begin to hone
your professional ethics now in order to be successful
professionally in the future.
 Remember:
 Always put your best foot forward!
 Present yourself in the best light.
 Encourage and help others.
 Don’t complain, act.
MAPPING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PLAN

20. PROFESSIONALISM IN SCHOOL AND IN
THE WORKPLACE

21. Crossley, J., & Vivekananda -Schmidt, P. (2009). The development and evaluation of a Professional Self
Identity Questionnaire to measure evolving professional self -identity in health and social care students.
Medical Teacher, 31, 603-607.
Goodnough, D. (2006). Extreme makeover: Siena Heights edition. University Business, 100.
Maister, D. (2000). True professionalism: The courage to care about your people, your clients, your
career. New York, NY: Touchstone Press.
Plaisance, P. L. (2009). Media ethics: Key principles for responsible practice .
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Sherrill, C. (2006). Giants, role models, and self -identity: Issues in professionalism.
Palaestra, 22(3), 56-57.
Wilcox, D. K. (2007 -08). What is your PQ? Professionalism and professional development. CSE, 11(3),
10-11.
"Nine Ground Rules for Cohesive Team BehaviorTM." TAC4 Solutions. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013 .
Jenkins, Amelia, and Demand Media. "5 Factors That Demonstrate a Strong Work Ethic." Small Business .
N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013
Noe, D. P. "The Importance of Confidence in the Workplace." Vancouver Confidence Coach Suzanne
Fetting Absolute Confidence RSS . N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.
SOURCES

22.  “This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by
the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training
Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and
does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S.
Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no
guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or
implied, with respect to such information, including any
information on linked sites and including, but not limited to,
accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness,
usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.”

 This work by the Health Professions Pathways (H2P)
Consortium, a Department of Labor, TAACCCT
 funded project is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
ATTRIBUTIONS