How to Be Professional in the Workplace (Communication Diva's Guide To:) (4 page)

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Don’t end every sentence with a question mark. It makes you sound unsure of what you are talking about and can be extremely distracting for the listener.

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Learn from
good examples
. Listen to people around you, especially in business settings where there has been some communication training with regard to voice. Many people who work with the telephone on a regular basis have developed very professional quality voice skills, and sometimes just listening and emulating what you hear can be very helpful.

Good-Bye Sexy-Voice Girl.

While it was funny for the rest of us, I imagine SVG would have been mortified to learn what effect she was having on those around her. For her sake, I hope someone coached her gently so that she was not a source of amusement and ridicule in the next job she ended up in. Maybe … just maybe … she ended up in the movies.

Whose Fault is This?

I once made a really big mistake at work. (Ok, I probably have made a few big mistakes at work, but this one is the best story.)

I was working in the hospital as a Health Unit Coordinator (see this article to know more about what that is:
www.communciationdiva.com/nursingunitclerk
) and I had a doctor's order to book an ambulance to send a patient for a specialized test at another hospital.

This was a pretty common occurrence, as the hospital I worked at was fairly small, and the test in question was only done at one or two of the major centres in the area, and we tended to default to the one closest to where we were, which was still at least a 35 minute ride away.

So, I made an assumption. I booked the ambulance, got all of the paperwork together, and the next day, was all chipper and friendly with the ambulance crew, who I worked with fairly often.

Off they went with the patient all strapped in nicely to the stretcher, chart tucked under the pillow. All was well, (or so I thought), until I got a phone call about 30 minutes later from one of the crew. It turns out the hospital I had sent them to had no idea this patient was coming, had never heard of him, and wasn't going to deal with it.

I stayed calm and told the crew to hang tight while I made another call. I called the only other hospital that does this test ... .and yes, they were expecting the patient in 10 minutes. Crap!

I told them what I had done, (note: me admitting a mistake), asked if the patient could show up in about 30 more minutes and waited anxiously while put on hold. Luckily for me (and the patient), they agreed to take someone else first, and with relief, I went back to the ambulance crew member. He wasn't sure they had time to carry on to the next hospital, but a quick call to dispatch confirmed that they would, and in the end, the patient got to where he was supposed to be and had the test.

Now the ramifications of my mistake, had I not been able to fix it, would have been large. I know myself how much goes into some of the preps for these tests ... both physically (all sorts of nasty things like blood-work and enemas and hours without food are sometimes in order) and emotionally. If the crew had had to bring the patient right back again without having the test done, I would really have been feeling awful. The monetary cost to the system of transporting a patient via ambulance for nothing is tremendous. Then there is all the explaining I would have to do to both the physician and the nursing staff as to why this test had to be delayed and re-booked ... which, in our Canadian system ... could mean weeks. Not to mention the medical condition of the patient being compromised by having to wait longer. It would not have been good.

I was very lucky, but also very embarrassed at having sent the ambulance crew on a bit of a wild goose chase. I knew they would be returning with the patient in a few hours, and wondered how best to approach my admission of guilt.

I decided to use humour. (I don't recommend this for every situation. I knew these people a little bit, and gauged that it would be ok in this situation, and mostly because it all worked out in the end. Be careful! It may just be best sometimes to say, "I'm sorry, I messed up.")

I took a paper bag and drew with a black felt marker the words "I'm Sorry" in big letters. When I saw them getting off the elevator, I quickly stuck the bag over my head and sat there. Their reaction was perfect. They couldn't quite believe what they were seeing, and burst out laughing. I then took the bag off and grinned at them, and from their continued giggling and some teasing, I knew my mistake was forgiven. Again, this was a silly (albeit effective) way to apologize for a mistake that ended up working out. I would not do this in most situations!

The point of this long drawn-out story is that it is crucial that you develop the skill of admitting your mistakes. We
ALL
make them, and learning how to own up to them actually earns you much more respect than if you try to assign blame or cook up excuses.

It is also best to own up to a mistake
as soon as you possibly can
, so that you can figure out how to fix it and move on. I have found that both in the workplace and in non-work relationships ... saying "I screwed up, I'm sorry, how can I fix this?" is the absolute best way to get back on track.

Here is another topic that could take up an entire book (and might in the future, so this part will be brief), but is essential in improving the way you present as far as professionalism goes. It’s true that people who are able to set clear boundaries for themselves earn more respect than do those who allow others to run them right over. No one respects a pushover, and people who allow themselves to be crushed ... either by a co-worker, a client, or an employer  ...  certainly do not appear to be professional.

There are bullies everywhere
.

Bullies are not limited to the schoolyard. They grow up into adults who still use the same tactics they have used for dozens of years.

Developing some assertive skills if you are lacking in this area is extremely important. There are several ways to do this:

—
practice. Practice in situations that don’t matter as much as your workplace does. For example, be assertive (not abusive or mean) to telephone solicitors who interrupt you at dinnertime. Be firm and clear with salespeople in the stores. When you have mastered behaving this way with strangers  ...  test it out on friends or family members who ask/expect you to do things you don’t want to do. See what happens. Assertive skills are called
skills
because they take time and practice.

Of course, sometimes, assertiveness is not going to get you what you need/want with regards to your employer, especially if you are in a situation where you will be “punished” for standing up for yourself. Use caution and proceed with baby steps.

Remember  ...  you have a few choices:

1.
You can let people walk all over you (which will definitely NOT improve your professionalism), and carry on being miserable.

2.
You can respect yourself (and others) by
setting clear boundaries
around what you will or will not (or can/cannot) do. Looking after your sister’s two year old twins for the entire weekend might be more than you want to commit to. Respecting yourself in that situation would be telling her that you love her, and her kids, but you have plans to spend your limited time off doing other things, and are unable to babysit. This may seem difficult, (and she may try to make you feel guilty), but being truly assertive will allow you to do what you are willing to do in this situation.

3.
You can leave the situation. (You may not be able to truly do that with your sister, but you can leave an employment situation. What happens after you do, however, may be interesting, depending upon what you have for viable options. It may not be the best choice, but in the end, it is still a choice. Staying in a job situation where you are not respected can make you physically ill. It might be better in the end to rethink this and make some changes.)

There are numerous resources/training courses and coaches available to assist you in becoming more assertive. If you are lacking in this area, it may be worth looking into improving this vital professional skill.

A Little Checklist:

Do you possess all or most of these attributes? What, if anything, could you work on to instantly improve your professionalism?

___
a positive attitude

___a handle on WHY you are there in the first place

___expertise in your area

___good work ethic

___accountability

___awareness of your limitations

___fantastic communication skills!

___humility

___gratitude

___generosity

___a willingness to learn

Think about your resume. What brilliant things have you said about yourself on resumes in the past, and how many of these attributes were real and true? Was it hard to say nice things about yourself? Are there areas you could work on that would increase your professionalism and change how you are perceived ... both by others and (more importantly) by yourself?

Let’s explore these key aspects of being professional in greater detail.

How is Your Attitude?

Have you ever walked into an office and been treated by the person behind the desk with hostility or disdain for no apparent reason, leaving you to wonder who peed in his/her cornflakes?

Has it ever been clearly evident that someone you are working with is having a horrible day?

Have you ever felt as though you were imposing upon someone just by walking into the room?

Attitude is a very potent part of the communication mix, and has everything to do with how professional you come across. Check your attitude and make sure it is positive when you walk in the office door, even if you’ve had a horrible start to your day. Blessing the rest of your world with your misery is inappropriate and a very quick way to unprofessionalism. If you are having a bad day, fake it. The most professional people are those who do their jobs with a positive, pleasant attitude
all the time
.

Why Are You There in the First Place?

As the old acting cliche goes ... what is your motivation?

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Are you there for the client/customer/patient?

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Are you there for the prestige or the money?

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Are you there because you are interested/passionate about what it is you do?

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Are you there because your life sucks and it’s the only job you can get?

Knowing the answer to this question is essential to working on/improving your professionalism. What is it that will keep you getting up in the morning?

If you absolutely hate what you are doing ... why are you doing it?

There is truly something to be said for doing what you love to do for a living. Not many of us are fortunate enough to live that out, but some are.

Remembering what got you there in the first place and who you are serving can make the difference to how you approach your job.

Are You an Expert?

Professionals are experts in their fields. It doesn’t matter so much
what
it is you do, rather than how you do it, what you know and how you share that knowledge. If you need to know more about your job, get training, read books, find someone to mentor you, and learn as much as you can.

Professional athletes become so because they spend
years
practicing. Professional artists spend
years
learning their craft. Professional lawyers spend
years
studying and practicing.

It takes time, effort and desire to be a professional at whatever it is you choose to do
.

How is Your Work Ethic?

Work ethic means all sorts of things, but mostly it means the way in which you approach your job.

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Do you work hard and try to learn more?

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Do you get there on time, stay until the end of the day, and take appropriate breaks?

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Do you call in if you are going to be late, sick or absent?

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Do you try to be helpful to others around you?

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Are you honest, accountable and reliable?

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Do you take pride in your work and do the best job you possibly can?

All of these attributes show professionalism
.