We all want to be seen as professionals in the workplace, right?
Maintaining a professional image is very important, but sometimes, certain behaviours can sneak up on us to tarnish our reputation without us even realising it. Let’s have a close look at some key behaviours that scream “unprofessional” and what you can do to avoid them.
Let’s begin by talking about being late to work. Yes, about not being punctual to work or work-related events. Tardiness is one of the biggest no-nos in any work environment. When you consistently show up late, it sends a message that you don’t value other people’s time or the job itself. It can disrupt meetings, delay projects, and frustrate your colleagues. Your teammates might have to pick up your slack or wait for you to get started, which can breed resentment. It makes you seem unreliable to your managers, which could impact your chances of getting promotions or important projects. To combat this, try planning ahead by setting multiple alarms and planning your route to work to account for potential delays. And if you know you’ll be late, let your team know as soon as possible.
Poor communication is another behaviour that can really hinder your professional image. It sometimes comes in the form of unclear emails, not responding to messages, or avoiding face-to-face conversations. In whatever form you display yours, poor communication can be a major roadblock in a professional setting. Miscommunications can lead to mistakes, missed deadlines, and general confusion. Additionally, poor communication can strain relationships with colleagues and clients, making collaboration more difficult. To improve your communication skills, make sure your messages are concise and to the point, respond to emails and messages in a timely manner, and be open to discussions when needed.
Everyone has bad days, but consistently bringing a negative attitude to work can be contagious and demoralizing for the whole team. A negative vibe can lower the overall morale, making the workplace less enjoyable for everyone, and it can slow down progress and diminish the team’s overall productivity.
To maintain a positive attitude, focus on the positives and practise gratitude. If you’re consistently feeling negative, consider talking to a professional to address underlying issues. Perhaps you need to see a coach, counsel;or or therapist as this negative attitude might be coming from a place of unresolved trauma. If you’d like to speak with a coach, book a session here. Maybe you didn’t know this: I am a trained life coach and I’ve worked with some pepole to help them in getting clarity, overcoming limitations, and dealing with traumas. I’ve also had to deal with my own traumas, so I know what it feels like to carry emotianl baggage around.
Dodging responsibility or blaming others for your mistakes is a sure way to come off as unprofessional. It erodes trust among team members and can damage your credibility. It also creates a toxic environment where people are more focused on avoiding blame than working together. Instead, own up to your mistakes and work on fixing them. Take responsibility for your tasks and follow through on your commitments.
Finally, using your phone or social media excessively during work hours can be distracting and give the impression that you’re not committed to your job. It can be distracting for you and your colleagues, reducing overall productivity, and it can make you seem disengaged and uninterested in your work. To avoid this, set boundaries by limiting personal phone use and social media during work hours, and use technology to aid your productivity, not hinder it.
As I wrap this up, I would like to emphasise that being aware of these unprofessional behaviours and actively working to avoid them can make a huge difference in how you’re perceived at work. Make it a point to show up on time, communicate clearly, maintain a positive attitude, take accountability, and use technology appropriately. This way, you’ll improve your own professional image and also contribute to a more positive and productive work environment for everyone.
I hope this helps. What else would you want to add to this?
________________________ Nancy Ekpezu is a highly experienced education and management consultant, and life coach, with three decades of experience in the education sector. She has served as a school administrator in four reputable schools in various cities in Nigeria. Nancy is the founder of the Educational Administration Network, a Facebook group with over 16,500 members from various countries, where she shares content on school administration, management, and personal development. She is also the author of three printed books, Dear Educator, The School Administrator’s Companion, and Effective Boarding House Administration, as well as five e-books. Currently, Nancy is the Lead Consultant and Trainer of Pezu Smith Consulting, where she works with organisations in Nigeria and West Africa to function effectively with proper processes and procedures. She is well-versed in performance management, professional ethics, policies, procedures, recruitment and customer service. Recently, Nancy has contributed immensely to the improvement of boarding house practice in Nigeria. Nancy has spoken at several reputable platforms, including a TEDx Talk, and has received several recognitions for her outstanding contributions to the development of education in Nigeria. In 2020, she was featured among 100 Admired People in Education by the Excelligent Group, and in 2021, she was named a Global Educational Influencer by the Excelligent Magazine in Asia. In 2022, she was featured as Sheroes Most Inspiring Woman by the Excelligent Group. And in October 2022, she received an award from the International Internship University in India for her contribution to the development of education in Africa. To contact Nancy for consulting, training, or speaking engagements: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-ekpezu Facebook profile: https://web.facebook.com/nancy.ekpezu Facebook Group: https://web.facebook.com/groups/educationaladministrationnetwork/?_rdc=1&_rdr Selar Shop: www.selar.co/m/NancyEkpezu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancyekpezu Website: www.nancyekpezu.com Email newsletter: www.sendfox.com/nancyekpezu WhatsApp: +234-8035880367
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