What are those qualities that clearly make one individual appear professional when compared to his or her peers?
I began two blog posts ago with a discussion of the quality of “compassion” as one of the marks of a professional. Last post, we discussed the quality of a strong sense of “justice.” This time I want to suggest that among those key items which point to professionalism is an obvious application of “common sense.”
“Now wait just a minute,” I hear you respond. “How can common sense be a mark of a professional? You either have common sense or you don’t.”
I think I know what you’re trying to say. In fact you remind me of the time nearly 25 years ago when, on a very, very rainy night, Fire Chief Bob Gilmore and l were standing at the front of the fire house looking out through the windows in the overhead door. Somehow the conversation turned to a discussion of the neighbors. The Chief remarked that the son of one particular neighbor was so stupid he didn’t know enough to come in out of the rain. As if to magically verify that point, around the corner of the house next door came the son in question, strolling slowly past our vantage point, clearly oblivious to the drenching downpour.
My good friend and fellow seminar leader, Wayne Moore, often remarks to seminar audiences that the reason why so much common sense is available is that so little of it is used. Whether this is true or not, if you think you’ve known a true professional who did not exhibit a clear ability to apply common sense to the problems of every day life, I would beg to differ with you.
Trying to find a definition for common sense is not really such an easy task. The dictionary is only marginally helpful. Asking various people as to how they would define the term “common sense” yields no clearer a result.
I did recently stumble onto a definition, however, that I believe truly captures the essence of this elusive, yet critical, quality of professionalism. The source of this definition was a letter of recommendation written by my niece Tara’s summer employer.
As part of her college intern program, “Tee-Tee” (as I call her—much to her chagrin) had worked for the New York State Department of Mental Health. In writing a letter back to the professor overseeing the internship program, the supervisor for whom Tara worked offered a glowing recommendation. One of the statements he made was that Tara continually showed good common sense. And then, he went on to explain that encountering various situations requiring a decision or some direct action, Tara always seemed to carefully consider the consequences before making a decision or taking action.
WOW! What a terrific description of common sense—considering the consequences of a decision, or of a direct action, before making that decision or taking that action. In other words, before I step out onto the limb of a tree, I think about whether that limb will be able to hold my weight.
In more appropriate terms, before I select a particular piece of new equipment or choose a person to work on my team, I consider whether that new equipment or individual is suitable for the task ahead. Before I decide to cut this corner or that one, in either developing a process, creating a procedure, instituting a new program, making a change to existing operations, or choosing a particular course of action, I consider the consequences.
I can think of a host of circumstances where I have wondered why a particular individual made a decision, or took some action, without seeming to have possessed a sensitivity to what might result from the decision or action.
If you spend just a moment, I’m sure you can come up with a number of examples from your own particular career environment, where you have observed people making decisions without considering the consequences. As you review each example in your mind, think of all the chaos that needlessly resulted from such an unconsidered decision.
The fact is that if every one of us aspired to being able to consistently apply common sense to solving the problems we face daily in our work environment, we would go a long way toward raising the overall level of professionalism in our chosen industry.
How about it? Are you willing to join me in considering the consequences BEFORE we make decisions or take action?
The Moore-Wilson Sigaling Report—Vol. 2 No. 3 for August/September 1990
No comments:
Post a Comment