Let’s be professional

Professionalism is a strong word with a simple meaning - Keep personal emotions away from decision making.
But can we humans really do that. We being humans use emotions as our drivers to do anything and everything. So from where I see this, a human without emotions can really not be a possibility.

Sitting in a meeting, discussing an issue often results in having loads of opinions flying around in the room. And when someone mixes common sense or a personal touch in an opinion, he’s termed as being not a professional. Isnt that Odd…..I have always wondered.
I totally believe in common sense, coz that’s our gut or more like a guardian angel. If you can’t justify something with common sense, it’s totally useless.
And often Useless people are also termed as not being a true professional.

Until recently I worked in a flat structure, and it was good. Irrespective of your grade/ level you were treated as equals and everybosy grew faster coz there were never too many boundaries you to worry about and big peoples feet you can step on. But the growing aware of professionalism in the outside world triggered the start of the layered model. And now, literally within 6months, my top boss sits 4 levels above me in a proper hierarchy. We are given a set of guidelines of what we need to do before directly talking to the top boss, as he’s now so unapproachable (officially). But me being me still call him up directly. I am flouting the officially defined professional route not because I oppose it, but coz I think it was better earlier. And I am more comfortable doing things that way. That definitely puts me in the not a true professional books.

But I think of myself as a professional simply because –
I work religiously during my work hours with few interruptions in between.
I switch off my personal opinion during office discussions and focus on points put forward on the table
I am true to the work I do, and often voice my opinion against it if I think the end user is not going to benefit from the work I am doing from him, even if it costs my job.
I have a life after work and hate to discuss work during that ‘me’ time. Yet I come to office the next day and carryon with things where I last left them when I left work the day before.
I do take the beating of the client when things go wrong, and pass on the appreciation to my team.
I don’t mingle much with office colleagues at a personal level and I keep my personal & professional life separate
I use social networking sites to connect with friends and family who I cant meet everyday.
I use professional network site to keep my professional network uptodate

What more is required out of a professional? Are professionals not supposed to have a life of their own? Are professionals not supposed to think of their comfort / welfare before doing things?

I have been really lucky to have worked with some fine people who made me a well grounded professional. And I am happy in my comfort zone and look forward to a professional life as an added asset.
I work coz it gives me happiness, makes me feel alive, makes me feel important and lets me contribute my bit of knowledge to this every growing work. At a small level I know I am making a difference.

I am able to see and live the simple meaning of professionalism :o)