Foreword to Professionalism Matters

Written by Dan Harris

Professionalism Matters, the title of Dr. Cheryl Whiting’s excellent book, is very apt for today’s business world and life in general. Professionalism is a much admired and valued attribute, not only because it signifies so many positive attributes of performance and behaviour, but also because it plays a significant part in defining one’s personal brand, or what used to be called in bygone days, reputation. Achieving and maintaining a high level of professionalism has an intrinsic value like a golden coat of armour protecting you as you advance through your career. However, the consequences of losing the shine of this highly valuable attribute are dire and always make for a sad and unfortunate tale. Professionalism Matters helps build that armour and keep that shine every step of the way.

I’ve been interested in this book since its beginning and have discussed it on many occasions with Cheryl. It’s been a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree exercise in the good, the bad and the ugly of professional life and increased my appreciation of the value that professionalism provides to the individual and his or her colleagues. Cheryl’s decades of professional experience, writing, research and lecturing on the subject have come to fruition in this book, and we are fortunate that she has covered it so competently and comprehensively. If you want to build a promising future for yourself and the organisations you work for, internalise and practice what this book preaches. Cheryl’s writing is also accessible, so you can easily understand and implement her message. In a sense, she engenders the inner voice of the professional, providing insight and knowledge to build your skillset, slalom past obstacles and be the consummate professional you want to be.

From a macro perspective, faith in professions and institutions has been rocked over the decades by scandals and the decline of standards. Examples of institutional malpractice and corrupt behaviour of the police, government officials, religious organisations, corporations, and an inexhaustible list of other professions seem to be increasing at an increasing rate. One would not be remiss for thinking that we’re fulfilling Nietzsche’s theory of ‘will to power’ where arguably professional ethics and standards are merely superficial concepts and our more basic instincts prevail. Hopefully, a book like Professionalism Matters will help lead us to more exemplary behaviour and performance from both individuals and institutions.

The perception of diminishing professional standards may be a grumpy malcontent point of view but it is a challenge facing both business and society, nonetheless. How individuals perform their jobs and organisations conduct themselves are a greater concern than ever before. Professionalism, for instance, is a significant factor when analysing a nation’s productivity and for good reason. Productivity is a key indicator of the strength and health of an economy, and elements of professionalism like values, attitudes, work environment, working practices, and well-being play an important role. Productivity in the UK since the turn of the century has been struggling relative to other industrialised countries. After a series of major events like Brexit, government instability, the COVID pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, the UK is desperate to improve its middle-ranking level of productivity and competitive position among the leading economies. The teachings provided in Professionalism Matters are, therefore, vitally important to helping improve the productivity and performance of the UK and any nation’s economy. 

Having worked at various levels of corporate life in the USA and Europe for some of the biggest names in high technology, government and finance, I’ve seen great examples of consummate professionalism as well as dreadful behaviour and performance. It’s a daily challenge to maintain and develop your professional skillset, especially in organisations whose values aren’t rock solid. In those circumstances, it’s difficult to maintain let alone grow that skillset when some of your colleagues don’t adhere to the same high standards. What really matters, however, is not the profession but the values and attitudes each individual holds regardless of job title. This is brought to light throughout Professionalism Matters and will help anyone in any profession achieve high standards and capture the intrinsic value of being a true professional.

There’s also something special about seeking a higher level of professionalism nowadays. It’s basic economics that when a precious commodity is scarce, its value usually goes up. Given diminishing standards and values, being recognised as a person with high professional standards will make you a valuable asset, a provider of high customer satisfaction and enable you to differentiate yourself in a competitive workforce, as promoted throughout this must-read book. 

Even if you are a good, positive, hard-working individual, challenges in working life are ever present and that’s why Professionalism Matters is so valuable. Read it, enjoy it, and keep it close to hand throughout your career.

Dan Harris – Vice President, Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce is a Podcast Host, ‘Over Here, Over There’, and Director, HymnSheet Ltd.

© Dan Harris – May 2023, Professionalism Matters, Tantamount August 2023