The Definition Of Professionalism In The United States Air Force
The word professional can mean many different things depending upon which context it is used. So what exactly is a professional? According to businessdictionary.com (2017) a professional is a “person formally certified by a professional body of belonging to a specific profession by virtue of having completed a required course of studies and/or practice. While I find this to be a good definition, I think a true professional goes beyond the basic requirements of completing their job. In addition to the minimum requirements of the definition, I believe a professional is someone who has integrity, accountability, and a positive attitude.
As someone who spent ten years serving in the United States Air Force, professionalism is something that I am
very familiar with. In the military, all personnel are expected behave in professional manner at all times. When I was a cadet at the Air Force Academy, we had to memorize many quotes. One that has stuck with me throughout the years and I believe is a foundation for a professional is, “Man’s flight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge (Miller).” Education is one of the most important factors of having a career. A professional understands the importance of knowledge and calling oneself a professional implies that he or she is an expert in their field. Professionals know their trade inside and out and continue to develop and improve in areas they are lacking. Professionalism is displayed in competence. Negligence can lead to criminal charges or civil lawsuits. For example, an accountant may be held liable for constructive fraud if they are grossly negligent in performing their job (Clarkson 917) or “criminally liable for violations of securities laws and tax laws” (Clarkson 926).
A second key trait a professional must have is integrity. Integrity involves being trustworthy, doing the right thing even if it is unpopular or requires tough choices, and keeping promises to clients and co-workers. “A professional owes a duty to his or her client to honor the terms of their contract” (Clarkson 912). If a professional does not maintain their integrity, they may be held liable for actual fraud. This may occur if a professional “misstates a material fact to mislead a client” or if “the client is injured as a result of a justifiably relying on the misstated fact” (Clarkson 916).
A third key trait of a professional is accountability. Self-accountability involves taking responsibility and ownership for ones actions and understanding how those choices impact results. Also it is about ensuring that they holding themselves accountable for maintaining standards. Maintaining standards includes a broad amount of things from company policies to personal grooming. One of the most important standards that professionals need be accountable for is confidentiality. “Professionals are restrained by the ethical tenets of their professions to keep all communications with their clients confidential” (Clarkson 928). Maintaining client confidentiality also ties into integrity and being trustworthy. However, under federal law, communication between most professionals and their clients are not privileged. Sometimes, certain circumstances arise and a professional must disclose information about their client to the court (Clarkson 928). In this case, a professional must obey the law and be accountable to the court.
The final characteristic of a professional that I will be discussing is attitude. Probably one of the easiest things to apply but is often ignored is having a pleasant attitude. Having good manners and being considerate of others goes a long way, both at work and in life. It is important to take your job seriously. A professional always completes their work and then looks for ways to be helpful. If you do more than the bare minimum you will gain a positive professional reputation which can lead to building strong networks. Part of attitude is physical appearance. If you do not dress like a professional, people will not think of you as a professional.
As someone who spent ten years serving in the United States Air Force, professionalism is something that I am
very familiar with. In the military, all personnel are expected behave in professional manner at all times. When I was a cadet at the Air Force Academy, we had to memorize many quotes. One that has stuck with me throughout the years and I believe is a foundation for a professional is, “Man’s flight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge (Miller).” Education is one of the most important factors of having a career. A professional understands the importance of knowledge and calling oneself a professional implies that he or she is an expert in their field. Professionals know their trade inside and out and continue to develop and improve in areas they are lacking. Professionalism is displayed in competence. Negligence can lead to criminal charges or civil lawsuits. For example, an accountant may be held liable for constructive fraud if they are grossly negligent in performing their job (Clarkson 917) or “criminally liable for violations of securities laws and tax laws” (Clarkson 926).
A second key trait a professional must have is integrity. Integrity involves being trustworthy, doing the right thing even if it is unpopular or requires tough choices, and keeping promises to clients and co-workers. “A professional owes a duty to his or her client to honor the terms of their contract” (Clarkson 912). If a professional does not maintain their integrity, they may be held liable for actual fraud. This may occur if a professional “misstates a material fact to mislead a client” or if “the client is injured as a result of a justifiably relying on the misstated fact” (Clarkson 916).
A third key trait of a professional is accountability. Self-accountability involves taking responsibility and ownership for ones actions and understanding how those choices impact results. Also it is about ensuring that they holding themselves accountable for maintaining standards. Maintaining standards includes a broad amount of things from company policies to personal grooming. One of the most important standards that professionals need be accountable for is confidentiality. “Professionals are restrained by the ethical tenets of their professions to keep all communications with their clients confidential” (Clarkson 928). Maintaining client confidentiality also ties into integrity and being trustworthy. However, under federal law, communication between most professionals and their clients are not privileged. Sometimes, certain circumstances arise and a professional must disclose information about their client to the court (Clarkson 928). In this case, a professional must obey the law and be accountable to the court.
The final characteristic of a professional that I will be discussing is attitude. Probably one of the easiest things to apply but is often ignored is having a pleasant attitude. Having good manners and being considerate of others goes a long way, both at work and in life. It is important to take your job seriously. A professional always completes their work and then looks for ways to be helpful. If you do more than the bare minimum you will gain a positive professional reputation which can lead to building strong networks. Part of attitude is physical appearance. If you do not dress like a professional, people will not think of you as a professional.