Key Qualities of Professionals

Professional
Qualities and
Obligations to the
Professionals are distinguished by a set of inherent
Professions
qualities that set them apart from non-professionals.
These qualities are essential in shaping the
personality and behaviors of individuals who have
attained a high level of expertise and credibility in
their respective fields. By understanding and
embodying these qualities, professionals can
effectively serve their clients, uphold the standards
of their profession, and contribute to the betterment
of society as a whole.
1 Competence
Competence implies the professional's broad
knowledge, expertise, wisdom, skills and
proficiency. in a certain field of specialization for
which the professional undertook a long period of
rigid training and education. Competence is one
basic element of professionalism, which qualifies
an individual to become a professional.
2 Trustworthiness
A person cannot be esteemed as a professional without possessing the
quality of trustworthiness. A client generally perceives a professional as a
person who is trusted in the first place, reliable and dependable. For this
reason, the client establishes faith in the professional. The client views the
professional as one who could do something for his problem at hand, the
client foresees his competence and integrity. Trustworthiness is an
important element of attraction in the professional. A professional cannot
attract clients without this important quality.
3 HONESTY AND TRUTHFULNESS
Honesty and truthfulness are two terms with one and the
same concept. It is for completeness that the two words are
used. If one is honest, he tells the truth. And vice versa. So
that when we speak of honesty, we also mean truthfulness.
Clients will not trust a dishonest professional. Eventually by
his dishonesty such professional repulses his potential
clients. Honesty here of the professional is not confined to
the clients alone. It includes honesty of the professional
towards the third party, the non-clients. It is possible that the
professional is honest towards his client but dishonest
towards others. Or he/she is dishonest to his client but honest
to others. While a person can be honest to one and be
dishonest to others at the same time, basically it is unlikely
to happen. For a person is supposed to have one and the
same personality.
4 PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT
Commitment refers to the professional's self-dedication to the
service and clients. The professional does not take his work for
granted. He works with devotion and sees to it that his clients
are benefited to the maximum by his service. The indicators of
the professional's commitment are punctuality, efficiency; joy in
the work and the feeling of fulfillment. The professional grows
and develops in the profession. He is not satisfied with his
present status. He works hard and continues to develop his
profession in order to be promoted. And even beyond this. He
helps develop the institution he works in. He conducts research,
and on the basis of findings, he institutes reforms and
innovations.
5 CONFIDENTIALITY AND DISCRETENESS
Confidentiality refers to the "secrecy" of facts and information
gathered from a client within the context of professional-client
relationship. Fact and information learned during the
relationship are to be kept confidential for the protection of
persons at stake and other purposes. The underlying value is
privacy, or the control of information about those that others
have. Confidentiality is not absolute, however, for public
justice or interests, things confidential can be brought out.
6 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
GROWTH
Another quality basic to the professional is
the passion to develop and grow in the
profession. The development and growth of
professionals means the development and
growth, too, of the professions. A
professional cannot remain stagnant in the
status quo at these times of rapid and multiple
and global changes. He or she has to
constantly update himself/ herself as a
professional with the current innovations of
the times. He or she cannot lag behind the
times. Or else, his/her knowledge is history,
and he would be a professional isolated from
the current waves of global innovations in his
field of specialization.
7 LOYALTY
Loyalty here refers to the professional's faithfulness, constant
concern, and commitment to his profession and clients. At
times, professionals even "identify" with their clients as a
manifestation of their loyalty. This loyalty may be classified
into (1) loyalty to the professions and fellow professionals and
(2) Loyalty to clients.
8 LOYALTY TO CLIENTS
It is obvious that professionals cannot
practice their professions without clients.
It is the clients who need services that
make professionals practice their
professions. Thus, clients are as
important as the professions.
Professionals have to maintain loyalty to
clients. Professionals have to
demonstrate constant concern, interest
and commitment to them.
9 OBLIGATIONS OF THE PROFESSION
In the social structure of a liberal society like ours,
professionals are at the top – in prestige, wealth and power.
They almost monopolize the status and role of leadership
within their own respective communities. This is partly due
to their bring among the best educated people in society,
which prepares them for leadership outside their profession.
These are the obligations to the professions:
1. Facets of obligations to public good;
2. Professional maturity and moral responsibility;
3. Professional adherence to clientele;
4. Code of conduct; and
5. Professional associations

Key Qualities of Professionals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Key Qualities of Professionals

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Key Qualities of Professionals

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Professional

You might also like