1.4 Professionalism, Etiquette, and Confidentiality

Much has been written about professionalism in the workplace.  How you carry yourself, your attitude, the way you communicate all send messages about your professionalism or lack of it.  Workers who dress well, have integrity, and are calm, cool, and collected are generally considered professional, and display professionalism.

A Guide to Professionalism in the Workplace.  Their key elements of professionalism on the job are as follows:

• Stay calm under pressure
• Be the brand
• Work smarter not harder
• Pair complaints with solutions
• Admit when you’re wrong

Professionalism is in the eye of the beholder.  Which means there are many perspectives on what makes someone professional or not.  Another source for insight about professionalism can be found from the above Ted Talk offered by Christine Porath who makes the case for professional but, among other things, quantifying the cost of the lack of professionalism.  Her focus is on being respectful.  Her talk is inspirational.  She explains the impact of incivility which is described by many as “as a low-intensity behaviour that can be displayed through wrong actions such as being rude, impolite or discourteous – or violation of behavioural norms at the workplace.” ^[1]Professionalism includes etiquette which is generally considered to be the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.

The article, 50 Little Etiquette Rules You Should Always Practice by Charlotte Hilton Andersen, explores etiquette broadly – not only from a business perspective –  and offers great tips which are applicable in many settings.  Following are 12 tips taken from the article^[2]:

1. don’t text while someone is talking to you
2. alert someone when they are on speaker phone
3. don’t use all caps in email
4. state your name when answering the phone
5. avoid ringtones that are “off the wall”
6. avoid public cellphone conversations (i.e. talk in a low volume in the waiting room)
7. keep your voicemail greeting updated
8. when naming people in business introductions begin with the most senior
9. always ask if now is a good time to chat
10. don’t microwave stinky food at work
11. don’t crowd the boarding area at the airport gate
12. don’t put you bag on the dinner table

Confidentiality – keeping a secret or private information – is professional behaviour worth special mention.  Maintaining confidentiality means knowing what information NOT to share.  Most people have experienced a situation when they say something out of turn and regret sharing information.  That might not be so serious although it will make people wonder if they can trust you.  They might not share information with you again.   In some situations breaching confidentiality can be very serious and can lead to significant legal consequences especially if you are a professional who has been asked to keep information confidential.  An example many people can relate to is patient-doctor confidentiality.  If a doctor shared your personal health information there could lead to a lawsuit.  If a business professional shared privileged information about a client with another client they could also be sued.  Similarly if a human resource professional in your firm shared you salary information with someone outside the organization (maybe the HR person joined a competitor) they would have breached confidentiality.

Privileged information can be thought of as anything you learned about through your work and is not generally known in the public. It is also usually sensitive information If you’re not sure, the best thing to do might be to wait and ask someone else (your boss) for advice.  That’s not always possible in the moment. Its mostly common sense, but a good rule is to err on the side of sharing less.

This chapter explores the complex world of individuals, teams, and organizations.  Organizational behaviour holds the keys to helping people enjoy better work lives.  OB is important for individuals to understand but its also important for businesses (and their leaders) to understand because organizational behaviour insights, including notions of professionalism, contribute to better business results. At the root of professionalism, etiquette, and confidentiality is behaviour that demonstrates respect.  Understanding and applying principles of organizational behaviour lead to happier people and better business results.

Check out this Ted Talk offered by Christine Porath on the subject of how professionalism and respect are good for business.