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In my opinion, ‘Professionalism’ is a characteristic of a person who is skillful, erudite and competent in his/her own area of interest. One who desires to be an expert or professional in his chosen field will have to strive hard through continuing education by taking appropriate courses, attending seminars etc., which sets them apart from the rest of the pack. A very high standard of etiquette is expected of professionals depending on their domain.

Professionalism is the key component for the success of any organization. And since a group of people working together towards same goals and objectives form an organization, it is imperative that they develop characteristics of a professional such as formal appearance, demeanor, accountability, ethics, competence etc., an organization’s reputation for professionalism at the workplace is a matter of consideration for various collaborations and business transactions. Talking about professionalism in ‘writing correspondence’ which involves writing emails and reports, it is important to understand the audience we are communicating with because that will determine the etiquette that has to be followed.

In general, top leaders of any organization have certain tools at their disposal to achieve and maintain professionalism. But then, it’s the individual’s responsibility that they cultivate traits of professionalism for their personal success and to contribute to the company’s growth. One can develop professionalism by setting parameters at all levels of the hierarchy. For example, create a formal dress code and define how colleagues and customers should be addressed by phone, email and in person. Also provide feedback to the employees about their standards of professionalism. When they understand how their actions affect the business of their organization, they begin to change their attitudes and are motivated to become more professional.