Strange contradiction, right? How can you be both unprofessional and a professional? It sounds like saying you are a vegetarian who eats chicken on weekends.
Yet, they come in all shapes, sizes and job descriptions.
Take the politician. Elected to serve, but serves only himself. His speeches; full of promises, his actions, full of vanishing acts. He arrives late, leaves early, and somewhere in between manages to blame the previous government for everything including his own absence.
Then there are the priests. You and I both know the kind. Preaching love on Sunday, practising selective affection on Monday. Their sermons soar, but their patience with people doesn’t even crawl.
Social workers are next. The title suggests sacrifice, but some treat it like a business card upgrade. They speak of causes, but the real cause often seems to be themselves. Photographs first, service later.
And then we come to the everyday professionals, the ones we interact with most. The email experts who never reply. You write politely. You remind gently. You even add “Just checking in” with a smiling emoji. Silence. Absolute silence. Not even a “Got it.” You begin to wonder if your email fell into a black hole or if the recipient has taken a vow of digital silence.
The phone philosophers are no better. They do not pick up calls, do not return them, and when you finally meet them, say, “Oh I saw your call!” as if merely seeing it was an act of great responsibility.
Then there are the punctuality artists. If you fix a meeting at 10, they arrive at 10.45 with a casual “Traffic yaar!” as though traffic is a sudden invention of that very morning. Meanwhile, you sit there like a well-trained fool, proving that you are the only one taking professionalism seriously.
Appointments are made like New Year resolutions. With enthusiasm and with no intention of keeping them.
And my favourites, the political unprofessionals. They speak of unity but divide, preach austerity but practise wealthy living, promise teamwork but function like solo performers who forgot the rest of the cast exists.
Now here is the irony.
Most of these people are highly qualified. Degrees hang on their walls. Titles precede their names. Visiting cards shine with importance. But somewhere between qualification and conduct, something has gone missing.
Professionalism.
Not the kind that is printed on a certificate, but the kind that shows up in behaviour. In replying. In being on time. In keeping your word. In treating people with respect even when there is nothing to gain.
Because finally, professionalism is not about what you do. It is about how you do it.
So maybe it is time we stop being professionals by designation and start becoming professionals by action.
Because in a world full of unprofessional professionals, being a professional professional is not just rare. It is revolutionary.
So, join the revolution and become one..!
The Author conducts an online, eight session Writers and Speakers Course. If you’d like to join, do send a thumbs-up to WhatsApp number 9892572883 or send a message to bobsbanter@gmail.com
