RoyalBankLetter

Publishedby Royal Bank of Canada

Vol.71 No.6 November/December1990

The Soulof Professionalism

Who is a professionaland who is not?
The questionis confusing.Professionalism
means severaldifferentthings.The only
certaintyaboutit is that it cannotbe
conferredby others.Professionalism
must come from within ...

Thecurrentuse of the word"professional" in hadbeenformally addedto thelistofprofessions.

reference
tobusinessattitudes
isironicinviewofits Fromthenon,themeaningof thewordexpanded
traditional
meaning.
Forcenturies
inwestern societies, informally to includeotherworkerswho had
a professionalwaspreciselywhata business person university
degrees
ortheequivalent, anddidnotdirty
wasnot,It wascommonly assumed thattherewas theirhandsintheir jobs.
a higher
purpose toprofessional
activitiesthanmerely Dictionaries
tooktodefining a professionbroadly
makinga living. Thisputprofessional peopleon a as a "callinginvolvingsomebranch of learning."
highersociallevelthanthose"intrade," whointurn Thesedays,yuppies (youngurbanprofessionals)
wereassumedto haveonlymoneyin mindwhen constitute
a typeratherthana socialclass.Theyare
doingtheir work. identifiedmoreby howmuchmoneytheymakeand
Theideathata profession hada moraldimension howtheyspend itthanbytheir specific careers.
deniedto morestraightforwardcommercial pursuits Moneyhasalways hada gooddealto do withthe
couldbetraced totheoriginofthewordintheMiddle publicperception
of theprofessions, sincedoctors,
Ages.Then,a professional wassomeone whohad lawyers
andtherestareknown fortheir relatively
high
vowedor"professed"todevote hisorherlifetothe incomes. At the sametime,though, it hasbeen
service
ofGod. Itdidnottakelongforcertainsecular understoodthattherearesomeactsforbidden by
workers to pointoutthattheytoohadtakenvows ethicalcodeswhichno amount of moneycanentice
to servemankind inthesameselfless spirit.Thus a scrupulousprofessionalto commit.
teachers (or"professors"),physiciansandlawyers Indeed,professionalism
initspurest formcallsfor
combined withtheclergy to formtheprofessional a dedication
which transcends
pecuniary oranyother
class. private considerations.Oneof themosttelling
Intheory, professional
peopleputethics aheadof illustrations
ofwhatbeing a professional
isallabout
money-making
orother personal
interests.Inpractice, came in an anecdotetold by a WorldWar II
thereverse wasoftenthecaseas professional codes correspondentwhoonceencountered a nursing nun
werewantonly honoured
inthebreach. Sleazy lawyers tendingto somehorribly woundedand diseased
figureprominentlyin theliteratureofElizabethan Japaneseprisoners.
times,demonstrating thattoday’s professional "I wouldn’tdo thatfora million dollars," said
scandalsdrawona longanddishonourable tradition. thenewspaperman.
Butsince themajorityofprofessionals
overtheages "Neither," saidthenun,"would I."
provedhonourable enoughto retainpublic respect, Butprofessionalism hasa second meaning which
theestablishedprofessions
enjoyed
a degree ofsocial collidesdirectly
withthespirit ofthefirst. Inthe
esteem thatwastheenvyof similar occupational second senseof theword,a professional willdo
groups. absolutely anything for money.Onecouldbe a
These strove togaingreaterprestigebyclaiming "professional"
tortureriftheprice wereright.
professionalstatus.
Bythebeginningofthiscentury, Beinga professional
inthissense alsomeans doing
dentists,accountants,
engineers,
architectsandothers forpaywhatothers dofornothing.Itistheopposite
 ofbeing anamateur, although in itsapplication to a naturalability. Thosewitha strong talentfora
sports,thedistinction between thetwodesignationsparticular lineofworkmayfeelthatthisiswhatthey
hasbecome blurred. werebornfor.Young peoplewiththisconviction have
Themixing ofamateur andprofessional valuesin a senseofprofessional dedication before theyever
sports hasraised moral as wellsemantic confusion. takeuptheir specialties.
Theamateur sportsman or sportswoman playsa game "Hewasin lovewithhiswork,andhe feltan
foritsownsake, andtheoretically putsa highervalue enthusiasmforitwhich nothing buttheworkwe can
on sportsmanship thanon winning. A professional dowellinspires in us,"theAmerican manof letters
inthesecond meaningofthewordtheoretically plays William DeanHowells wroteof a colleague. Herehe
above allforprofit; if something unsportsmanliketouched onthree attributes ofa great professionalin
mustbedoneforthesakeofmaking thatprofit, then anyfield: a sense ofvocation, enthusiasm, andthe
bydefinition itwillbe done. specialinspiration whichisgenerated fromwithin.
Being a professionalfurther means doingfull-time But, as Jeande la Bruyereremarkedabout
what othersdo part-timeor occasionally. A authorship, it "requires morethanmeregenius" to
professional pho- performupto professional standards of proficiency.
tographer, forexample, If a professional willnormally surpass a gifted
Theinteraction takes picturesnotjuston
between amateur at most activities, that is because the
vacation, butdayinand professionalhasapplied themortar oftechnique to
professional pride dayout. Ifa professionalthebricksofnatural ability.
and standardsof musician doesnotper- There arelittle tricks of anytrade which become
workmanship formeveryday,he or secondnature ifonepractices themconstantly. These
shepracticeseverydayto lendan unconscious professional touch to theexpert
maintain professionalstandards of performance.The practitioner’s everyworking move.
markof a professional is beingreadyto perform As the American biographer Bernardde Voto
whetheronefeels likeit ornot. wrote,"theskilful manis,within thefunction ofhis
Thesaying that"theshowmustgo on"mightnot skill,a differentintegration,a different nervousand
be takenseriously inanamateur theatrical company, muscularandpsychological organization ....A tennis
butit is an article of faithamongprofessional player or a watchmaker or an airline pilotis an
troupers. Amateurathletes might skipa gamebecause automatism buthe is alsocriticism andwisdom."
their musclesacheortheyhavepersonal businessto Thecriticism referred to ismorelikely to be of
attendto.Proathletes "come toplay" despitesprains oneselfthanofothers. Whathasbeensaidofa true
or bruises or whateverpsychological troublesmight scholar maybe saidofanytrueprofessional -- that
be weighing on theirminds. heorsheisconstantly seeking andfinding hisorher
Onceon thefield, theythrow themselvesbodyand ownmistakes.
soulintothegame, putting theirpersonal feelings
and Thepolish thatmakes a professional piece ofwork
preoccupationsbehind them. So the"real pro"atany shineisusually theresult ofcopious sweat andperhaps
activitycanberelied uponconsistently todo hisor eventearsoffrustration. Themoreagonizingly one
herbest. toilsatit,thefiner theproduct. AsDaniel Webster
Inmostcases, that"best" willbe better thanan wroteabouthisownsometime profession, "Ifhe
amateur’s. Herewe cometo another perceptionof wouldbe a great lawyer, he mustfirst consent to be
professionalism,whichisthatprofessionals arevery a greatdrudge."
goodat theirwork. Thefirst thing a novice notices about an oldpro
Hence theexpression "areally professionaljob," inanyfield isthatheor
whichcould justaseasily apply to theserving of a shemakes difficulttasks
mealortheinstallation ofa window astoa surgical Professionals have lookeasy.Alongwith
operationora setofarchitectural drawings. Inthis confidence, but their other acquired ex-
instance,performingprofessionally means doinga job not over- pertise,professionalsbe-
thatiswellworth theprice being charged. confidence, in come expertat never
Professional prideinteracts withprofessional their abilities showing theintensity of
standards of workmanship. Oneis proudto be able theirefforts. Theyare
to doan outstanding job;onewillnotdo lessthan more awarethan anyoneof the meaningof the
an outstanding jobbecause oneis proud. classical
aphorism,"The perfectionofartistoconceal
In manycases, professional pride maybemingled theart."
withtheanimal joya person findsin theexercise of TheEnglish language hasnevei"knowna more
readablestylist thanCharles Lamb,whoseprose a jobinbusiness orpublicservice andretire fromit
flowed
withtheclarity andbrillianceofspring water. 50 years later with pretty much the same body of
Buthisauthor-sisterMary,ina letter tofriend, has knowledgehe orsheacquired in thefirst fewmonths
leftuswitha endearing pictureofhowpainfully he of working. Now,almosteveryoccupation in the
achievedhismastery: "Youwould liketo seeus,as westerneconomy hasbecome liketheprofessions, in
weoftensitwriting
atthesametable .... snuff, whichsomething
I taking newis always happening to enhance
andhegroaning allthewhile, andsaying hecanmake knowledge andaltertechniques.
nothing
ofit,which healwayssaystill heisfinished, Technicians and craftspersonsnowadays are
andthenhefinds outhe hasmadesomething of it." constantly having to learn about new equipment,
Lamb’suncertaintyoverhisworkclashes withthe processes andmethods. People in sales arejustas
imageof coolprofessionalism heldby thepublic. constantly being calledupontolearn theintricacies
Seasonedprofessionalsaresupposed to "knowtheir of evermorecomplex product lines.
stuff,"meaningthattheyknowexactly whattheyare Innoindustry areproducts andconditions thesame
doingat anygiventime,andthattheyknowtheir today as theyweretwoor three yearsago.Keeping
subjects
inside-out. abreastof developments hasbecome a wayoflifefor
Professional
personstendtopresent anairofcalm anyoneinvolved in administration, production,
capability
totheworld fortheverygoodreason that servicing,orsales.
whattheyessentiallyhavetosellistrustworthiness. Therenewalof knowledge is onlyoneof the
Noneof us wouldwanta dentist whois evidently characteristics oftheestablished professionswhich are
unsureof whichtooth todrilloran accountant who becoming common in other occupations. As
confesses
hisconfusion overa newly-passed taxlaw. summarized by the American newspaper executive
Andindeed thoroughgoingprofessionals musthave Charles E. Scripps, someothers are"highacademic
confidence
intheirownabilities.Itisself-confidence standards,rigorous training, peerreview, andpermit
thatallowsthemto breakwithtriedand true by way of governmentlicenceor some other
techniquesin thesearchof freshapproaches to empoweredbody."
problems. Mr.Scripps madehisobservations in a letter to
Professionalself-confidencecomesfromhaving a the editorof a journalistictrade magazine. In it, he
suregraspof thefundamentals of one’ssubject. concentrated on professionalism in thecontext of
Whereself-confidence goeswrongis whensenior public responsibility. He pointed outthatanyone
practitioners
ina field becometoosureofwhatthey responsibleforthephysical orpsychological wellbeing
know,andcometo believe thattheyhavecompletely ofother people iscapable ofcausing great harmwhich
masteredtheirsubject.Whentheyconclude thatthey cannot becompletely dealtwithbythelegal system.
knowallthereis to know,theyare no longer Journalists clearly are in a position to cause such
orofessionals,
buthacks. harm.
Complacencyis a distinctly
unprofessional trait. Formanyyearstherehasbeentalkabouthaving
The reasonthereare journalism designated as a profession, if onlyto
Almostevery scholarly journalsisto encouragejournaliststoexercisegreater responsibility.
occupation has make it possible for Mr.Scripps argued against sucha movebecause of
becomelike a professional men and thethreat itraises ofgovernment control.
profession, in which women to maintaina Goingdowna listof "professions," hewrote: "The
something is knowledge of the cease- practices ofmedicine, or tennis, or prostitution are
alwaysdeveloping less developments in not civil rights or humanrights. The right to speak
theirchosen subjects. and write,to hearandread,are humanrights
Thejournalsalsocarry debatesovernewideas inthe everywhere andcivilrights in civilized nations.
field,whichstimulate
livelyandcreative thoughtabout Journalism is a noble calling, a skilled craft, a
professionalconcerns. respectabletrade, or ignoble,sloppy, or disreputable
If thereisonecharacteristic of theestablished dependingon the characterand skillof the
professions whichsetsthemapartfromother practitioner."
employment,itisthecontinual renewal ofknowledge In thishe echoed thewidely-held opinion among
andexpertise throughpublications, conferences, journalists thatprofessionalism iswhere youfindit.
seminarsandsoforth. Thatdistinction, however, is Professional andunprofessional journalists maywork
becominglessandlessrelevant withthepassage of side by side on the samestory or even in the same
time. news room.
It wasoncepossible fora manor womanto get Whethera particular person deserves tobecalled
 professional or notde gendsentirely on how peopleareunlikelyevertogainpublic recognition
as
conscientiouslyheorshe professionalsinthetraditional sense oftheword.
collectsandhandles in- Instead,professionalism
inbusinessnecessarilywill
It is impossible to formation. It canbear- remain a matter of actions speaking louderthan
curtail cheating gued that the same words.
amongbusiness appliestolawyers orac- Likeallprofessionalsworthyofthename, business
peoplewho are countants or architects; professionalswillputtheircustomers’welfare
before
inclined to cheat thatcalling themprofes- anypersonal considera-
sionals doesnotneces- tion.Theywillnever
sarilymakethemactlikeprofessionals. Somedoand In the end,the stoprenewing andim-
somedo not. professional man proving theirknowledge
Becausedereliction inevitablyoccurs inthebest- or woman is one andskills.Theywillcon-
regulatedofprofessional families,somehaveformed who behavesin a ductthemselveswithdue
theirowngoverning councils withpowers to punish professional way professional prideand
offenders by expulsion if necessary. Onereason integrity.Theywillnot
journalismhasneverformally become a profession cutcorners, whether intermsofethics, performance,
isthatistooamorphous toallow forthekindofself- orquality.
regulation
practisedinthelaw,medicine andthelike. Neverhasthere beenmoreneedthanthere istoday
Journalismranges in quality fromnewspapers and forprofessional
attitudesinbusiness.Thelarge-scale
magazines in whicheveryword is checkedfor financialfailuresinNorthAmerica inrecent years
accuracytotabloidsfullof"reports" about theghosts werebrought aboutby a lackofthequalities which
ofmovie stars,grotesquemultiplebirths andvisitors professionalism
implies.
fromother planets.Addtothese theelectronic media Theseincludenotonlytheethical qualities
implied
inalltheir diversity,anditisjusttoounwieldy for inthefirst meaning oftheterm, buttheworkmanlike
anyprofessional bodyto grapple with. qualitiesimplied in thesecond. Thetwomeanings
Ifjournalismistoobigtolenditself totheformal converge whentheycometo professionalism in
impositionofprofessionaldiscipline, howmuchmore business,becausethebusiness professionalmustbe
so is thewholebroadfieldof business. True, botha scrupulousdealer andoutstanding at hisor
individualindustries--notably those havingto do herwork.
withpersonalfinance--havesetstrict standards of "A greatsociety is oneinwhichmenof business
ethicsandtrainingforpeopleinsales. Still,there is thinkgreatly oftheirfunctions," thephilosopher
nocontrollingbehaviour inbusiness in general. Any AlfredNorthWhitehead wrote.To thinkgreatly of
productcanbe madea little cheaper, a little less thosefunctions is to regard doingbusiness as a
reliable,
a littlelesssafe;anythingcanbesold under profession
whether ornotitisso called.
falsepretenses
tothose whohavenoneedforit.Short Inessence, theprofessional manor womanisone
ofthelaw,which bynomeans coversallcases, itis whobehavesprofessionally,notnecessarily onewho
impossible
to curtail cheatingamong businesspeople hasbeencertifiedbya licencingbody. Professionalism
inclined
tocheat. cannotbe conferred on you by otherpeople. It
So,despiteallthetalkabout "salesprofessionals,"consistsof whatyouexpect fromyourself.
"managementprofessionals" andthelike,business