Stephen R Covey gave the world ‘The 7 habits of Highly Effective people’ and brought positive results in the life of many. Thatslyf with its ‘The 7 habits of highly unprofessional people’ takes a deep plunge into what people are doing that makes them unprofessional and why one should avoid it.
‘How unprofessional of you!’ ‘Please behave like a professional’, Are these the statements which your colleagues and bosses are showering on you? We ourselves are the creators of each of our habits- good or bad. There may be a case you are not a catch of such dialogues, but reading this post will act as an aide in noticing these points in yourself so that the necessary call to action can be made. It is always good to do away with the bad habits to build a better career and gain respect in the organisation. Here is your checklist:
1. The constant complaining attitude
‘The AC is not working properly!”There is no fan on my seat, Am I being hired to beat the heat here’,’The boss favours Harry and thus gave him the promotion’. Okay! We understand that the God has chosen you and only you to load all the problems and thus you have to complain about everything from the boss to work conditions to job profiles to fellow colleagues. Have you ever thought why other people are not complaining about the same things, though they are sailing in the same boat as you? It is correct and even inviting to share your grievances with the higher authorities, but always complaining about everything is nothing but unprofessional.
2. The late coming habit
‘Sorry Sir, there was a huge traffic jam that got me late’ ‘The metro was running late, what more I could do.’ ‘Sorry I will be on time from tomorrow’ You can hear any of these dialogues in every office on a daily basis. There is always a bunch of people who are a habitual latecomer. Their entry in the office gains stares of one and all. They give different or the same excuse each day and expects their boss to empathize with them. Coming late to office daily is a professional sin. Understand, that being on time for your work is a matter of respect.
3. Gossiping here and there
‘You know what X said to Y’ ‘The manager is planning to make a strategy..’ ‘A lot is happening between He and She’. Gossiping a little, is a part of every profession, but making gossiping as your whole sole habit does make you fall under the unprofessional umbrella. To avoid any sorts of office drama, it is always advisable to never be the part of the gossip mongers gang and remain a hardcore professional.
4. Taking personal calls
Your colleague is discussing a serious issue with you and your phone, rang up and you pick the call and start discussing the late night party that you had. How unprofessional is this! Firstly, taking personal calls at your desk is a sheer unprofessional act. Such calls should be received outside office in the lobby or common areas, so that none of your colleague is disturbed. Secondly, putting off an important discussion with the colleague to take a personal call is nothing more than a sin. You can simply reject the call for the time being and call back later.
5. Putting off work
Do you know the very reason for coming to office and being paid? The reason is WORK. But we often find the unprofessional people in the office who love doing anything and everything that does not relate to work. They are a constant procrastinator; you give them a task in the morning and they remain at square 1 till the evening. These people do not even justify the salary the organisation pays them. That’s sheer unprofessionalism.
6. Picking up fights
Picking up fights with everyone from clients to colleagues to bosses and even the gatekeepers is one bad habit present in a few people. Such people considered themselves to be a Jack of all traits and thus believe that their decisions, advices and strategies must be implemented by their colleagues as well as juniors. But when someone questions their thinking or defies them, they are left with nothing, but to pick up fights with others. Such people are often seen shouting at others and hampering the decorum of the organisation. As a matter of fact, picking up fights in the office premises is dreadfully unprofessional.
7. Using inappropriate words in office
‘Watch your words, they become your action’, You must have heard this phrase from the mouth of many. People judge you and understand you by the words you speak. If you use any sort of abuses and unprofessional language while conversing with your colleagues or clients in the office, just think of the unprofessional image that you are creating in the minds of the others. For a clean image, professional proficiency in the language is a must.
These are some of the bad habits which are playing a havoc with your professional life. Always keep in mind that being professional is not about adorning a business suit and uttering a few high profile English words; rather it’s more about the attitude you wear towards your profession.
Thatslyf would love to hear from its readers some of the unprofessional incidents they have encountered.
