In a previous article we talked about the 8 bad habits that make you look very unprofessional. This time we look at the opposite: the habits that make you look more professional.
These are some of the qualities you can show to come across as more professional. We are not saying they are easy, but they are fairly simple. Nobody displays them all the time, and we are all human, but we should try to be the best human beings we can. And since we are talking about the business world, to be as professional as we can.
16 habits for being more professional at work
1. Confidence
Self-confidence is key to anyone’s success in every area of life. When you truly believe in your abilities, you can achieve whatever you set out to do. That is why genuinely competent people have a great deal of confidence in themselves.
2. Honesty
Don’t be dishonest. Truly professional people are direct and honest. They assess the situation, weigh the risks and give a truthful opinion.
3. Communication
Communicating with others is important for boosting productivity in certain parts of your job. Professional people keep up good communication with everyone in the company.
4. Self-awareness
This is part of showing confidence: knowing who you are and where you fit in the world, and owning your strengths and weaknesses. Then work on strengthening the areas that are not there yet.
5. Punctuality
Punctuality shows that you are committed to your work, interested in it and able to handle responsibility. When you arrive on time for work or work-related activities, you show that you can keep your word. Being punctual helps employees project a sense of professionalism and commitment.
6. Strategic thinking
One of the basic principles of success is having a goal in mind. Setting yourself a goal can improve your performance and give you a sense of direction. Truly professional people identify their goals and work hard to reach them. As a rule, they have a plan.
7. Anticipation
Anticipating things is not always easy, but we can always try to get ahead, to some extent, of what is coming so that we work more productively day to day. Anticipation is the key to success. In many cases it is not hard: if we have a meeting, we prepare for it in advance. If we have a conference, we prepare for it in advance.
8. Taking care of yourself
This is unfortunate, but true. If you don’t look after your health and your clothes, it is much harder to project professionalism, and you give the impression that you don’t care about other things either. If you turn up in a crumpled suit, a stained tie and an unironed shirt, what can your boss or your client expect from whatever you have to deliver?
9. Realism
Promising the world may be one way to win the boy or girl of your dreams, but it does nothing to make you look professional. Promise as much as you can, in line with your ability to deliver.
10. Enthusiasm
Feeling enthusiastic about what you do is essential for performing at a high level. Enthusiasm makes you feel good, increases your motivation and helps you enjoy what you do. That is why people who are enthusiastic are more professional.
11. Diligence
Being diligent means you carry out your responsibilities very well and do it quickly. Companies need diligent people to give timely answers.
12. Performance
Nothing shows “professionalism” more than achievements, especially achievements repeated over time. Everyone can have opinions, but opinions carry more weight when they come from someone with results to back them up.
13. Discretion
Self-care and self-awareness, combined with good communication skills, lead to prudence and the ability to be candid without giving offence. People who are discreet are also appreciated in professional matters.
14. Curiosity
No professional ever stops learning. Truly professional people are curious about learning new things and willing to weigh up the risks of new ideas within the company.
15. A sense of humour
Many companies seem almost bothered when their employees have a sense of humour. Somebody put it into our heads that having fun and doing your job well are incompatible, or that it doesn’t make you look professional. But it is precisely the opposite. A sense of humour is a very positive quality. Working with humour strengthens individual and collective motivation, encourages innovation and improves internal communication. Being a serious professional is sometimes confused with being serious, and the two have nothing to do with each other. Today we know that companies where employees never laugh have lower productivity and higher rates of sick leave for depression.
16. Authenticity
“Fake it till you make it” is good business advice, but your performance has to be grounded in the truth. Otherwise, your skills, your interests and so on don’t matter.
See also: How to slowly destroy your career and your professional reputation
Featured image: © User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
