It is a fashion amongst working executives and even others to proclaim that they are “professionals”. I am not sure if the person claiming so fully understands the implications of the term. What is being softly hinted at is that the person is not an amateur, has enough work- experience to claim maturity and in general is more competent than whomsoever he is talking to. Let us apply this ten way test and understand what being “professional” really means. It does not matter what your vocation is – the test is universal.

Do you need evidence howsoever little, to believe in something?
Psychologists have long been saying that the world can be divided into two categories – the first comprises of people who require some evidence to believe in something and the second of those who believe, because someone whom they consider reliable told them those things. Most professionals are in the first category.

Do you give importance to someone else’s time as you give yours?
Do you have a reputation of always being “on the dot”? Do you consider time as money? Or are you one of those snobs who don’t want others to come in a single moment late but would happily walk-in late at someone else’s events?

Can you say “NO” without hurting the other person?
Professionals have mastered the knack of saying NO without uttering the word NO. Come to think of it, saying NO should be easy but professionals do so without spoiling their interpersonal relations with others.

Do you manage your anger to improve productivity of persons around you?
Professionals use “anger” as a tool to improve productivity and have been adopting this zero cost approach since time immemorial. They never suppress their anger but also know that one should not take any decision while one is angry. These twin principles indeed sum up what needs to be done to manage your anger

Have you conquered that un-professional habit of postponing things?
Our mind requires periodic “servicing” to eliminate all those tasks that we have been postponing for no rhyme or reason. Identify these jobs and attack them!

Do you have courage to take action?
Professionals are not mere observers in any situation. “When in doubt – ACT” is their mantra. It takes “guts” to take on vested interests – do you have them?

Do you formulate OBJECTIVES before starting any assignment?
Many of us would start without keeping the “end” in our mind. Professionals do not do this. They keep questioning their objectives regularly to ensure that nothing is amiss and that they are relevant with the times.

Are you a team player?
Do you accept team decisions even if they are against your own recommendations? Or do you fume and fret and let everyone know at the first available opportunity that the decision is not to your liking. Professionals “own” team decisions

Are you a good listener?
You can’t L I S T E N unless you are S I L E N T. “Good” listening is supposed to account for almost 50% of the communication spectrum and if you are not a good listener you can’t claim to be a professional.

Do you reward “performance” and not “behaviour”?
We all like people who behave kindly and lovingly and always prefer them to those who remain slightly aloof but are tops on performance. Professionals however always reward performance.
So dear friends, give yourself 1 mark for every parameter that you possess. If you score 8 or more, congratulations – you are indeed a professional. At a score of 5 -7 you haven’t yet become one but have the potential to become one. A score of 4 or below indicates that you have been masquerading as a professional and would soon be found out. May GOD help you then!

"Mr. Prakash Shesh, the author, has done his MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad after his Masters in Physics from I.I.T. New Delhi. You may send your feedback to him by choosing an option at the top right corner of this page."