Does professional qualification guarantee professionalism?

It is usually unquestioningly assumed that professional qualifications guarantee an individual to be professional by default. However, more than a quarter century of experience across various sectors and varied roles do not seem to necessarily corroborate with the above assumption. While professional qualification certifies ‘what’ a person possesses as certain skill sets and/ or knowledge to execute a job with responsibility, professionalism focuses on the ‘how’ element of execution. The gap between ‘what’ and ‘how’ is significant.  Let us share a few real-life instances to drive home the point.

a)    An important meeting was being chaired by a Unit Head in a conference room. It was organized hurriedly as a Senior Government dignitary was going to pay an unscheduled visit the factory premises the next day. Attending the meeting were all the Function Heads from Operations and a few from the Support Services. While the meeting was in progress a couple of individuals, sitting next to each other, started conversing in their native language a little too loudly to the annoyance of the rest. Most of those present were from other parts of the country and hence, the disconnect. The Unit Head quickly sensed the discomfiture among them and made light of the situation by politely requesting the two, “Humare saathe bhi thoda share kijiye aap kis vishay par charcha kar rahein hai.”

b)    The CEO of a Group company was addressing employees during a Townhall about business performance in the preceding quarter. There were close to 250 persons who were attending it in the auditorium. In course of the presentation, a video of a newly launched advertisement was to be shown. Unfortunately, despite prior testing the video appeared without any sound much to the embarrassment of the person who was given the responsibility to run it from his laptop. What unfolded after that was something employees were not prepared for. The CEO screamed and berated the poor fellow in front of the audience for a couple of minutes before walking out of the auditorium in a huff!

c)     With a view to keep check on safety incidents safety meeting is scheduled on the 15^th of every month between 3 pm to 5 pm, unless of course it is a holiday. It is mandatory for all the Department Heads (DHs) numbering around 30 to attend it. In case anyone is unable to come, one is expected to send a representative. These meetings are chaired by the Safety Head and the Operations Head by rotation. However, on most of the occasions the meetings commence not around 3.30 pm. It meant those who are punctual had to wait for more than thirty minutes. Obviously, meetings get stretched to 5.30 pm almost always.

Countless number of such examples can be shared. A quick help from AI Overview to understand the meaning of professionalism shows it as ‘the conduct, behaviour and attitude that demonstrate competence, respect and a strong work ethic in a working environment’. So, what do we make out of it? Professional qualification does not ensure professionalism at the workplace.

Otherwise, how do we explain the attitude and behaviour involving the professionally competent Function Heads, CEO and Department Heads?

I Am Busy Syndrome

It's been observed that in the Indian corporate landscape,

everyone seems to be busy, from senior managers to young executives. While it's understandable that there are specific times—such as the end of a quarter, the fiscal year, or during review meetings—when numerous assignments need to be completed quickly, claiming that this busyness is a daily affair is a bit of a stretch. Typically, the pressure of work follows a sinusoidal curve, with periods of ups and downs for most people.

When trying to reach someone in the office, here are some common remarks you might encounter:

a) "I am busy; I will call you later."  

b) "I am busy attending a meeting. Once it’s over, I will get back to you."  

c) "I am busy working on a report that needs to be submitted today. I’ll call you tomorrow in the first half."  

d) "Did you send me an email? Oh, I was busy and didn’t get a chance to check it. I will respond in some time."  

And the list goes on.

Assuming these responses are honest, the amusing part is what happens after the initial call or email. In most cases, you do not expect to receive a call back or a reply to an email within a reasonable timeframe, unless you are seeking information as a senior in the organizational hierarchy. Fear works, so it seems. As a consequence, multiple follow-ups often become necessary. Although for some it is a deliberate practice to avoid responding unless several reminders are sent yet there are a few who get annoyed instead. So, what do you? Adopt pressure tactics. Start CC-ing the incumbents Manager, Skip Manager and who not. Lo and behold, it works on most of the occasions!

One came across situation wherein senior individuals even criticize their junior colleagues for not sending enough reminders to get work done or to secure approvals. What do you have to say on this? Interestingly, all of these occur under the guise of ‘I am busy’.

This raises a fundamental question: what sort of work are so many individuals engaged in on a daily basis for which frequent follow-up emails and phone calls have to be made even for mundane official assignments? On a lighter note, one wonders, one of the most sought-after skills that almost every Indian manager acquires is "follow-up". After all, it’s the ultimate test of patience, resilience, and in some cases, even a pathway to climbing the corporate ladder.

Can There Be a ‘Bad’ Experience?

Experiences in our lives are often classified in a binary way — good or bad — especially when it comes to our workplace. This classification also applies to other important relationships, such as those with family and friends. The obvious outcome of a ‘good’ experience is a feeling of happiness and a sense of achievement, while a ‘bad’ experience often leads to disappointment and anger.

But what if someone argues that there is no such thing as a ‘bad’ experience? What if we were to rephrase it as a ‘not-so-good’ experience? Some might think this is just a play on words but others might appreciate the deeper perspective behind this viewpoint.

High achievers often say, “Bad experiences teach us more about life than good ones.” This raises an important question: if ‘bad’ experiences can teach us valuable lessons, can they really be considered ‘bad’ at all? Shouldn’t we view such experiences as something beneficial instead? Logically speaking, can something of benefit be ‘bad’?

To illustrate this point, let’s consider the experience of Vaibhav (name changed). In 2015, he decided to quit a reasonably well-paying job in a private firm having 15 years of work experience. This decision was made hastily when he sensed that a plot was being hatched to remove him for not conforming to the powers-that-be. Despite his enthusiasm, he lacked the necessary clarity on what he wanted to do, which meant having a well-thought-out strategy to execute his business plan was out of the question. As a result, he was bombarded with confusing business ideas from so-called well-wishers.

It’s important to take note that Vaibhav had a financial backup for 12 months and was debt-free. His wife was a homemaker, they had two children and his parents were also financially independent. He lived in a rented flat with his wife & children in a tier 1 city and his parents stayed in their ancestral home.

Meanwhile, as weeks turned into months without any clarity on his next steps and no financial inflow in sight, panic set in as his financial resources began to dwindle. Consequently, he abandoned the idea of working independently and started searching for a job instead. Thirteen months after quitting his previous job, he landed a position at one of the premier conglomerates in India, largely due to his experience and qualifications. Immersed in his new role, he ensured that his dreams were not extinguished, taking a moment for quiet reflection.

Vaibhav began to analyze what had gone wrong and what could be done to recover. The supposedly ‘bad’ experience led him to realize several important lessons, including:

a) the need for clarity of purpose,

b) the importance of developing a business plan,

c) the value of generating multiple channels of passive income,

d) the encouragement for his wife to start her own business and allow it to grow,

e) the necessity of leveraging the power of networking, and

f) the advantage of relocating to a business-friendly city.

g) created enough fund to see him through for atleast two years

Eventually, he began business consulting in 2025 and it has been doing reasonably well. Vaibhav’s journey of bouncing back from a temporary setback illustrates that what we often label as a ‘bad’ experience is largely about mindset. How could an experience that teaches us so many valuable lessons be considered ‘bad’? Perhaps, at most, we could describe it as a ‘not-so-good’ experience.