5 PILLARS TO BECOME A
“24CARAT PROFESSIONAL”
Throughout
our META+COACH MODULES we emphasize common habits a 24CARAT PROFESSIONAL© must master to look more professional. These little things
will make you better at your work, which will in turn make you come across as
more professional.
1. MASTER PRODUCTIVITY TECHNIQUES
24CARAT
PROFESSIONALs are well organized. Nothing screams unprofessionalism like someone who does not know how
to manage their time. Imagine your boss asking you for an important document,
but you can’t seem to remember where you placed it. As you rummage through your
drawers searching for the document, your boss will probably be wondering what
kind of incompetent person she hired. Being organized means you know what you
are supposed to be doing at any particular moment. It means you know the tasks
that need to be prioritized or delegated. It means you know the emails that
need to be acted on and which ones you are yet to read. Being organized
improves your productivity and makes you more efficient, which in turn makes you
more likely to receive promotions. To become more organized, Use a planner or a
to-do list to keep track of everything that needs to be done to ensure you
don’t miss deadlines. Take notes of important things that are brought to your
attention. Being a good time manager means being aware of your deadlines and
managing your work to ensure you meet the deadlines. It also means respecting
other people’s time and being punctual for your appointments.
2.SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF SUCCESS
The workplace
requires you to constantly interact with clients, colleagues and your
superiors. The better you are at communicating with these people, the more
professional you will appear. Being a good communicator also means
communicating effectively through written communication/emails and responding
promptly to such communication from others; moreover you need to be a good
listener. We often underestimate the
power of good listening skills because we are always in a hurry to speak
instead of trying to comprehend what is being communicated to us and preparing
what we’re going to say next. You need to learn how to
communicate clearly and concisely. Communicating professionally does not mean
using complicated words and jargon that will leave everyone confused. Instead,
you should use simply language to ensure everyone understands what you are trying
to say. The first thing you say when you answer your phone also influences
whether you will be seen as a professional or not. A sound etiquette on phone, with a gentle
voice and steady pace will create a good impression to the person on the other
end.
24CARAT
PROFESSIONALs convey a positive image by
the kind of body
language you portray when interacting with
others. With studies showing that more 60% of communication takes place non-verbally,
you should adopt body language that shows you are a professional who believes
in himself and knows what he is doing. display
confident body language: sit or stand upright. avoid slouching; always hold
your head high; maintain eye contact when talking to someone; greet people with
a firm handshake.
Every workplace
has a gossip mill, and it can be very
easy to get sucked into it; avoid it at all costs. Not engaging in gossip also
shows that you are someone who respects his colleagues.Avoid talking about
others behind their backs or spreading rumours around the office. Talking bad
about your superiors behind their backs will only make you seem jealous,
immature and unprofessional – the complete opposite of what you are trying to
achieve. Concentrating on your work and performance while ignoring any gossip
that might be doing rounds in the office shows you are a mature and focused
person.
Being a
professional requires you to treat everyone equally and with respect.
Regardless of your position within the company, you should be respectful to
everyone, whether they are senior or junior to you. You should remain
respectful even in situations where you do not agree with your colleagues. Similarly,
you should avoid being rude to others, belittling their intelligence or giving
them sarcastic remarks, even if you think what they are saying makes no sense.
3. EXUDE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
If you
want to become a 24CARAT PROFESSIONAL; be
accountable for your actions at all times. This means that you should place
responsibility to get things done on yourself. If you are unable to get things
done on time or if you make mistakes, own your mistake and find ways to fix it.
If you notice things going wrong, don’t be afraid to bring it to your boss’s
attention and propose ways to fix it.
If you
want to become a 24CARAT PROFESSIONAL,
you should be willing to step up and take charge, even when the situations is
outside your comfort zone. Is there a presentation that needs to be made yet no
one is willing to volunteer? Step up and volunteer to make the presentation.
Has a mistake been made?
People
who are not accountable will often look for people or things to blame whenever
they make mistakes. Looking for scapegoats every time you mess things up will make you look unprofessional
and will affect your workplace relationships with your colleagues and
superiors. Take charge and rectify it, even if you did not make the mistake.
Does your team need to do something yet the team leader is not around? Step up
and get the team started instead of waiting till the team leader arrives. The
willingness to take charge, especially in times of crisis will go a great way
in establishing you as a professional.
A
24CARAT PROFESSIONAL is always dependable . Being reliable means clients and
colleagues know that they can trust you to do what you said you will do, when
you said you will do it. It means being consistent with your work. Being
reliable also means that you can step in and save the day when things are not
going as they should. Most of all, being reliable means not giving people any
unwanted surprises, such as going missing on the day you were supposed to make
an important task .
A
24CARAT PROFESSIONAL is proactive and
can be entrusted with even more responsibilities, you should be willing to go
above and beyond in whatever you do. Don’t just do what is required of you and
sit back. Instead, once you have performed your required set of duties,
anticipate things that need to be done and do them. If you
have ideas that can improve efficiency or productivity, share them with your
boss. If a colleague is overloaded with work, offer to help. The motto is doing
more than is expected of you
4. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
A
24CARAT PROFESSIONAL are always exude self-confidence. There is a strong link between confidence and occupational success.
Confidence is a state of mind where you know what you are doing, what you are
good at and what you stand for. Confidence also involves acting in a manner
that shows others you know what you are doing. Confidence makes you look
professional for a number of reasons. If you are confident, you won’t be afraid
to share your ideas and opinions. You won’t be afraid to take up challenges and
responsibilities. You won’t be afraid to make decisions or take risks at the
workplace. In addition, others are more likely to believe in you when they can
see that you believe in yourself.
A
24CARAT PROFESSIONAL is positive and
motivated in whatever they do. Having a positive attitude means that you are
willing to keep pushing even when things are not going as they should. It means
that you are always upbeat about the work you need to do. Positive people are
willing to look for solutions and will motivate others to give their all at
work. Positive people are also more receptive to feedback and criticism.
Positive
people gratefully listen to negative feedback and use it as an opportunity to learn and improve
themselves. Positive people are easier to work with, which in turn makes your
colleagues and bosses view you as someone who is professional. A negative person drains your energy; he is always complaining about how he is being
overworked and being underpaid, the next minute he is complaining about how
useless a certain colleague is; such behaviours only make you look immature and
a repulsive companion.
5. LET ETHICS BE YOUR BUSINESS TACTICS
a
24CARAT PROFESSIONAL is always works with ethics. Being ethical is about how
you conduct yourself at work. It is about doing the right thing at all times
and being a person of integrity. It is about striving to achieve excellence in
whatever you do while holding the interests of your clients at heart.
Being
honest and trustworthy is rare especially in today’s world where people are so
used to deceptive behaviour. So being honest can really make you stand out.
Being honest also makes it easier for people to trust you and to forgive you
whenever you make a mistake. For instance, if you make a mistake and own up to
it, your supervisor will accept your honesty and will be more likely to let it
slide. They are also more likely to trust you with something else in future
compared to someone who tried to lie about their mistake. Honesty also means
being truthful with what you can do. Don’t promise to do something when you
know you won’t do it, thereby inconveniencing other people.
BE A LIFELONG LEARNER
A
24CARAT PROFESSIONAL , you should be
aware of the latest trends and practices within your field of work. Knowing the
latest news about your industry not only positions you as a professional, but
also makes it easier for you to do your work and allows you to stand out to
your management by proposing solutions and new methods of doing business during
company meetings. To keep abreast of the latest news in your industry, you
should make a habit of reading widely about your field. Follow major blogs
related to your field, read industry magazines and attend industry events.
Learning
is best when your boss gives you feedback on your performance at
work. If you want to learn , you should treat feedback as an opportunity for
you to learn and improve. When receiving negative feedback resist the
temptation to get angry or defensive. Keep in mind that the feedback is not
about your personality, but rather giving you pointers on how to perform better
at work.
LAST WORD
Nobody
is born a 24CARAT PROFESSIONAL … the
good thing is that it is something you can learn. By following and implementing
these simple tips will bring you closer to the success you want.
With best
compliments
Dr Wilfred Monteiro
