Once I had a chance of watching a minor league football match. I saw opposing team conducting its pre-game warm-up drills watched them lay on the grass and stretch, kick the ball in a specific motion, and run sprints of approximately 25 yards. They were getting warmed up and ready for another game. I admired their professionalism at this level and realized that each one of them was working hard on his skills and was eager to reach the next level-the big leagues.

Amongst them, a player caught my eye who was working harder than the others. He didn’t stop at the end of the sprints. He always did one more of the warm-up drills than the rest of the players he was with. I was impressed with his effort and his apparent desire to be the best and achieve his dream of making it to the big leagues. I wondered then: what made him different? What did he have inside him that maybe, just maybe, the others did not?

After several minutes of thinking, I finally got my answer- It was professionalism. He had a different attitude and approach to his aim. So what does it take to be a professional?

Attitude

It is your way of approaching a problem or a client. It is reflected in everything that you do. If we think our clients or colleagues as a necessary evil or people bothering us, their responses to us will be entirely different than if we see them as investors or an integrated part of our company and people who will ultimately create the success of our organization. We can never be a true professional until and unless we develop a respect for our client’s colleagues and guests. Our attitudes have an impact on our actions. Our attitudes have an impact on those we work with. Our attitudes have an impact on our guests and the people we serve.

Concentration and Knowledge

Concentration means knowing what to do at the right time. To achieve a high level of concentration one needs to have knowledge of the field in which he/she is working. Be it, teaching, running a restaurant, opening a hotel, playing football everything requires knowledge about the job then only the task can be accomplished successfully. Concentration is knowing the little things that make a difference, being in the right place at the right time, and knowing what to do and when to do it. Professionals make concentration a strong part of their game.

Effort and Passion

Effort means Doing little things, and being and the right place and the right time. It means doing getting their before someone else does, Beating the competition, rolling up the sleeves, and taking the right decision at the right time.

Effort and passion always go hand to hand with each other. Passion can be defined as personal intensity. It is something in which you lose track of time and get absorbed into it. It inspires you and helps you rise. It helps you achieve the heights which you never expected yourself to reach.

How to develop a professional?

Developing a professional requires continuous and rigorous efforts, to develop a professional you can undertake the following activities:

• Learn as much as you can about your job and the industry. To be a professional requires knowledge of your job and knowing when to use that information. Take a college course, attend seminars and workshops when available and appropriate, or simply read books on the industry.
• Join an association that encourages professional development in your area of the industry. There are many associations find the one that fits you and helps you grow both personally and professionally. Research these organizations on-line and see which one fits your needs and career ambitions best. Be a part of a community that is helping you grow and develop as a professional. The association can be local, national, or international. The important thing is to join an organization that provides you value and assists you in achieving your professional goals.
• Find a mentor in this industry and learn from them. Mentoring is an informal relationship with another industry professional that aids in career growth and development. Learning occurs informally through discussion and experiences. The relationship provides tremendous insight personally and professionally and provides learning which rarely occurs in a formal setting.
• Make a commitment to be a professional and to grow in this industry. We all are professionals in what we do and can enhance this industry by working on the things we can control: our attitude, our concentration, and our effort.