Over the past ten years I’ve had the opportunity to work in a variety of industries and have witnessed two types of people in business.
The people who claim to be professionals and the true professionals.
At first glance it may be difficult to distinguish between the two species – which is why I’ve created this field guide to help you navigate and separate the genuine from the imitations.
A professional imitator is often known to do the following:
– Spend more time talking about what they do rather than doing something.
– Exaggerate their credentials in attempts to inflate their sense of self.
– Make excuses or blame others when things go wrong.
– Does not respond well, or at all, when clients have inquiries.
– Lastly, they do not deliver.
A true professional does in fact market their services and what they can do, but they do not do it to an exhausting level as they are also spending their time getting work done. They do not feel the need to falsely inflate their resume as they know that what is on it is well earned. When a project has complications or delays, they hold themselves accountable and are the ones to manage it, making sure it is fixed without pushing blame onto other people. If a client comes to them with a difficult question, they do not ignore it – they respond to it with perfect transparency. And lastly… a true professional delivers. Not by luck or chance. They deliver each and every time.
James Patrick
jamespatrick.com
