2008 Woodie Awards
Professionalism an unclear and confusing attribute
By Mike Goodwin
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/3/06 Section: Opinion
I'm beginning to question what the word professionalism means. Apparently nobody has it, including me. Which begs the question, like sound, if no one is around to hear it; does it even exist?
I've had the word offensively explained to me before: "You have to handle yourself with integrity," or my favorite, "you have to be completely different from who you are outside when you're in here." If there was ever a reason to pull a Kurt Cobain and play anti-corporate (or blow your head off), the second explanation would be it, although questioning my honor is good start. Coincidentally, I searched out "professionalism" on the internet and the first five results were corporate representations of how people should act in the workplace. Should act according to whom? Your stuck up, anal retentive, disrespectful, and dishonest (let's face it, they're doing something illegal) employer?
You want my explanation? Too bad, you're getting it anyway; it's working together to produce the highest quality result possible. It's that simple to me, but somehow, I'm the one who's called out on perceived defiance. People do worse things than me every day. I raise a simple question (anywhere) and my tone is somehow insubordinate. It has to be the beard. I'm inherently evil for having one.
My initial reaction to wrongful scolding of any sort is to start shouting the most shocking vulgarity anyone could possibly think of. My second reaction is to excuse myself and destroy whatever room in which I've excused myself. If anyone has any advice besides playing passive-aggressive phony politeness, please, let me know. I would think communication of the actual issues would work, but who wants logic anymore?
I'm not the only one with this experience. This isn't some pathetic attempt at relation to whatever audience I may have, but everyone has, at the least, been in a position where someone has undermined your authority or influence. Whatever power, knowledge, experience, or overall positive energy you brought to the table, at some point in time, it was unnecessarily challenged. And it completely sucks to be demoralized by someone (worse when you actually respect them) when you're actually willing to work for the greater good of whatever the cause or workload may be.
I've had the word offensively explained to me before: "You have to handle yourself with integrity," or my favorite, "you have to be completely different from who you are outside when you're in here." If there was ever a reason to pull a Kurt Cobain and play anti-corporate (or blow your head off), the second explanation would be it, although questioning my honor is good start. Coincidentally, I searched out "professionalism" on the internet and the first five results were corporate representations of how people should act in the workplace. Should act according to whom? Your stuck up, anal retentive, disrespectful, and dishonest (let's face it, they're doing something illegal) employer?
You want my explanation? Too bad, you're getting it anyway; it's working together to produce the highest quality result possible. It's that simple to me, but somehow, I'm the one who's called out on perceived defiance. People do worse things than me every day. I raise a simple question (anywhere) and my tone is somehow insubordinate. It has to be the beard. I'm inherently evil for having one.
My initial reaction to wrongful scolding of any sort is to start shouting the most shocking vulgarity anyone could possibly think of. My second reaction is to excuse myself and destroy whatever room in which I've excused myself. If anyone has any advice besides playing passive-aggressive phony politeness, please, let me know. I would think communication of the actual issues would work, but who wants logic anymore?
I'm not the only one with this experience. This isn't some pathetic attempt at relation to whatever audience I may have, but everyone has, at the least, been in a position where someone has undermined your authority or influence. Whatever power, knowledge, experience, or overall positive energy you brought to the table, at some point in time, it was unnecessarily challenged. And it completely sucks to be demoralized by someone (worse when you actually respect them) when you're actually willing to work for the greater good of whatever the cause or workload may be.
