Examples of Professionalism

Examples of Professionalism

by George N. Root III

A professional approach is an effective business strategy.

Professional conduct can enhance your standing among colleagues and customers. Managers and executives talk of acting like a professional, and examples of professionalism will help to demonstrate the point more clearly. Adjust your attitude towards your work and you will find that those around you will respond positively.

Following Policy

A professional takes the time to understand company policies and abides by those guidelines. For example, if the company dress code requires tattoos and body piercings to be covered in the workplace, the professional employee understands that the company wishes to portray a particular image to the public. It is not a statement against tattoos, it is a policy designed to prevent employees from alienating customers and vendors who would prefer to not see tattoos.

Being Responsible

Managers and executives associate professionalism with reliability and responsibility. A professional employee meets deadlines, submits excellent work and is available for corrections. Displaying responsibility and reliability makes a positive impression with company managers and executives, which can lead to pay raises and promotions.


A professional attends to his own responsibilities and offers assistance to colleagues when possible. Being a catalyst for effective teamwork is part of taking a professional approach. Your teammates come to rely on you because of your skills and reliability. Being there to assist your co-workers while maintaining your own workload is the sign of a professional.

Addressing Conflict

Conflict in the workplace can happen at a company for any number of reasons. The professional approach to a conflict is to alert management to the issue and allow the company to follow its policy to properly address the situation. A professional does not escalate the situation by taking sides or by trying to resolve the conflict without using proper company procedures.