The Marks of Professionalism - Part 10: Knowing When to Ask for Help

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

“And, as you embark on your college career,” the esteemed professor told the incoming freshmen from the Class of 2029, “I urge you to aspire to become a professional in your chosen field. For it is within that framework that you will find life’s greatest rewards.”

Aspire to become a professional. Now that is good advice! But, what qualities mark a woman or man whom others acknowledge is a “professional?” So far in this series, I’ve suggested that “compassion,” “justice,” “common sense,” a “commitment to excellence, a “wholehearted determination to always tell the truth,” an “attention to details,” “going the second mile,” a “sense of humor,” and “practicing due diligence” are marks of a professional. This time I add to the list “knowing when to ask for help.”

Back in 1991, as I sat in front of my computer writing the original newsletter article on which this series of blog posts is based, I noted that:

Down the hail Dave-the-plumber is busily ripping apart the faucets in my upstairs bathroom. With a certain amount of grunting and groaning, he is attempting to renew the 21-year-old fixtures to stop a constant drip-drip that would make a water conservationist throw a tantrum.

Now a certain number of you are smirking to yourselves, “Call a plumber? What kind of a wimpy householder does that. Come on, Wilson, don’t you even know how to roll up your sleeves and get down under those sinks and fix that errant piping and those valves? Why you threaten the very existence of that manly art of do-it-yourself!”

You’re probably right. When it comes to do-it-yourself, I am definitely a wimp. But, I’ve come to my wimpiness out of a wealth of failed attempts.

Why I’m the guy who bought $200 worth of tune-up gear only to have messed up my car’s electrical system so badly that I almost had to call a tow truck to get the car over to a garage that could finish the simple adjustments I had tried to make.

I’m the guy who started to paint the trim in one of my former apartments, only to end up making such a mess of the job that I nearly had to have new flooring installed underneath where I was painting.

A “do-it-yourself wimp?” Indeed! And, sadly, I still haven’t learned my lesson.

You see the plumber is here only because I started the simple job of replacing the washers in the faucets. Only now I’m having to have the three sets of faucets all replaced. And, the only way I’m going to be able to pay for it is to get out there on the street and try to sell more copies of my newsletter. Just about ten new subscriptions at $125 each will do it.

My plumber, Dave, and I have come to an important agreement, however. He has promised me that he will not teach anyone about the ins and outs of fire protection, fire alarm, and burglar alarm systems, if I hang up my pipe wrench and stop pretending to be an under-the-sink craftsman. Frankly, I think it’s a bargain well struck.

A true professional knows when the task at hand is outside his or her area of expertise. One who has clearly been recognized as a professional knows when to call for help. And, a very real part of this is knowing who to call. Building a network of fellow professionals is an important part of enhancing your chosen business endeavor.

Just yesterday, a veteran in the fire protection business—a man I respect greatly—called me on the telephone. He simply wanted to touch base quickly on a job he was bidding. It was ever so slightly outside his normal area of expertise. After hearing his proposal, I made only one small suggestion. By and large he had hit the mark. When we ended our conversation, he went away knowing that he was on target. And, once again, I had experienced the satisfaction that comes from helping a fellow professional.

You really don’t have to know everything. In fact, if you have recently, or even for some time, been operating under the assumption that you “know it all,” then I urge you to reexamine yourself intently. The minute you begin to believe that you can go it alone through the jungle of processes, procedures, best practices, and standard operating methods for your particular business endeavor, you have taken the first step that will ultimately remove you from the ranks of those acknowledged as professionals.

Instead of trusting solely in your own abilities, make every effort to nurture the relationships you have with those who share your concern about raising the professionalism of your chosen field.

There’s a Winnie-the-Pooh story by A. A. Milne ¹ where Pooh Bear gets stuck leaving Rabbit’s hole after Pooh has feasted on some honey. Pooh tries every way he can possibly think of to get free. Finally, with Christopher Robin’s help, Pooh’s gains his freedom.

Pooh would likely agree, “When you’re stuck, it’s important to realize you need to call for help. And, it’s good to know who you need to call.”

“knowing when to ask for help” and being willing to do so is truly a mark of a professional.

 

______________________

1 Milne, A. A. Winnie-the-Pooh. New York: E. F. Hutton, 1926. Please note: the original 1926 book, Winnie-the-Pooh, is in the Public Domain in the U.S. This means the characters of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Christopher Robin, and the original descriptions/illustrations can be used for new works, such as books, films, or merchandise, without paying royalties. Though this citation is noted to be in the Public Domain, in the case of someone claiming Copyright protection of this material, please note that, in each case, whenever citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Marks of Professionalism - Part 9: Due Diligence

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

“I feel like that Rodney What’s-his-name. I just don’t get any respect.”

The young man had just come back from a meeting with his boss. It seems like every time he’s called down to management row, he comes back to his desk in a high state of stress.

“What is it going to take before they start to treat me like a professional?” he wailed.

A professional, indeed! But, what qualities do mark a man or woman as a “professional?” So far in this series, I’ve suggested that “compassion,” “justice,” “common sense,” a “commitment to excellence, a “wholehearted determination to always tell the truth,” an “attention to details,” “going the second mile,” and a “sense of humor” are marks of a professional. This time I add to the list “practicing due diligence.”

Did you notice how all the “legal beagles’” ears perked up when I used that term? Giving or “practicing due diligence” sounds like either something that will lead you into or keep you out of court.

It is, in fact, a term that lawyers love to throw around during liability suits. One or another of the attorneys present is trying to prove that someone failed to practice due diligence, while the opposing side is trying to illustrate that due diligence was, indeed, given appropriately in the particular set of circumstances.

For my purposes, I am using the term as a catch-all for countless small details that can seem to either bolster or topple an up-and-coming professional. Similar to its first cousin, “Attention to Details,” giving due diligence is a mind-set that can be learned, if one has not already embodied this characteristic. Perhaps a little quiz will help illustrate my point.

• Do we begin our days by making a list of what needs to be accomplished that day?
  
  
• Do we answer incoming letters the same day we receive them?
  
  
• Do we return phone messages as quickly as we arrive back at our desks?
  
  
• Do we open incoming mail, categorize it, and then read through it in such away that we only handle each piece of paper once?
  
  
• Do we also separate our “To Do” list into the “Need-to-Dos” and the “Nice-to-Dos?”
  
  
• Do we make certain that we do at least one “Nice-to-Do” each day, so that the “Nice-to-Dos” don’t become the “Never-Dids?”
  
  
• When introduced to someone, do we pay attention, not only to his or her name, but also who he or she is and what help this person might be to us in the future?
  
  
• Do we factor in the concerns of others when we make a decision that affects those around us?
  
  
• Do we pay particular attention to time, not becoming fanatical about being early, nor becoming chronic in our lateness?
  
  

Well, these are just a few of many items that can serve to measure whether or not the person who aspires to professionalism is “practicing due diligence.” It really is a care-giving attitude. It illustrates a mind-set that is genuinely interested in making certain that the “little things” receive proper emphasis, so they do not later blossom into “big things.”

The lack of professionalism in our particular approach to our business activities, or personal endeavors, is no more easily excused concerning this strategy of “practicing due diligence,” than it is in the performance of any other sincere businessperson. Yes, we all have busy, even hectic, schedules. But, there is never any really good reason for not extending common courtesy to those around us by “practicing due diligence” toward those things that simply must be done well and on-time.

It’s like the local radio announcer/control board operator who must join the network precisely at 2:59:30. The professionalism of the announcer is judged by the precision with which he back-times the last recording leading into the network join. Whether that last recording is a musical selection or a commercial spot announcement, the announcer is expected to have both planned and executed his action so well, that the segue to the network is seamless. It’s the kind of work that the station manager rewards with a smile.

“practicing due diligence” is one way to make certain you will get the job done with precision, grace, style, and class. It’s just one more of the marks of a professional. And, it’s a mark to which you and I can aspire, especially for those of us who follow the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Marks of Professionalism - Part 8: A Sense of Humor

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

Her beauty was striking. Tall, well-dressed, expressive eyes, gentle smile, and yet a very determined young woman. As she spoke, a look of concern speak across her face:

“It is tough being a woman in business. All I want is to be treated with respect and to be known as a professional.”

What did she mean? What qualities mark a man or woman as a “professional?” So far in this series of blog posts, I’ve suggested that “compassion,” “justice,” “common sense,” a “commitment to excellence, a “wholehearted determination to always tell the truth,” an “attention to details,” and “going the second mile” are marks of a professional. This time I add to the list a “sense of humor.”

Please don’t confuse a “sense of humor” with immature practical jokes or with malicious dark comedy that has become popularized in recent years. A real “sense of humor” always entertains and encourages others without knowingly causing hurt. In other words, a genuine “sense of humor” is born out of love. It is not motivated by hate, or discord, or disgust, or distrust, or any other of the negative emotions.

A “sense of humor” can spell the difference between being consumed by stress in the normal give and take of a day’s activities, or taking stress in stride. Faced with the moment-by-moment crises of a typical business, the ability of the true professional to handle each experience with aplomb will most often depend on whether or not the individual has developed a genuine “sense of humor”.

Notice I said “developed” a “sense of humor.” It is quite possible to change one’s outlook from one that is usually quite humorless to one that looks at life with a smile and a twinkle in the eyes. How? Just begin to find the smile and laughter that God so cleverly hides in every experience of life.

“Does God have a ‘sense of humor”?’ the national radio speaker asked his third son in a broadcast interview.

“Sure, Dad,” came the reply. “He made my brother, Joel, didn’t He?”

And, it’s just this kind of positive mental attitude that can carry you through your day. You see, humor tends to cause the body to relax and roll with the punches. It is a proven medical fact that a good laugh, or even a quiet chuckle, can help us relieve tension that builds up inside our bodies. In the midst of a moment of humor, our bodies release chemicals into the bloodstream that help muscles relax, deepens breathing, increases the blood flow to the brain, and has a generally positive effect on the various bodily systems.

How does one begin to develop a real “sense of humor”? Start by looking for the smile that is hidden in every situation. Even the most irritating letter or memo has some element that can bring comic relief. Even when your boss has just yelled at you for something, tucked away inside the experience is some little gem of humor just waiting for you to find it.

Here’s an example of how having a “sense of humor” can defuse an otherwise offensive situation.

Recently, I read a letter from an irate executive. In the letter he told an opponent in a controversy that he no longer had respect for the woman or for the company she represents. The executive was angry that his opponent had enthusiastically fought for what the opponent believed was right. He was disturbed that the opponent had questioned whether the study group the writer chaired was performing without bias. He whined and he cried throughout the letter.

“No humor there,” you might think. But yet there was.

Here was someone so pompous, so arrogant, so consumed with himself, so convinced that he had all the right “political” connections, so determined that what he thought mattered, that he presumed to attack the sincere efforts of this dedicated, professional businesswoman, who happened to have a different point of view. In response to this denegrating and offensive letter, the businesswoman wrote a kind and gentle reply. She shared her response with me. We imagined him opening it and chuckled at how chagrined he might be because of how seriously he took the issue.

Here is another example of how humor can transform a person’s behavior for the better.

Some time ago, I was riding with a friend who has always driven aggressively. Suddenly, a little Chevette darted in front of us. As he hit the brakes, my friend whooped with glee. “I sure hope, when they get there, they won’t be too early,” my friend chortled.

“What’s gotten into you?” I asked, remembering the shaken fist and curse-filled air of similar incidents in the past.

“I decided that getting angry only hurt me,” he explained. “At least this way I get a little laugh.”

It is important, as professionals, that we concentrate our efforts on providing the highest level of service to our customers or constituents. But, in the midst of the seriousness of our efforts, let’s not forget to look for the smile that God has placed in these daily vignettes along the roads of our lives. For a real “sense of humor” is, indeed, one of the marks of the true professional.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Marks of Professionalism - Part 7: Going the Second Mile

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

“I want to be known as a professional,” the aspiring businessman told me. What did he mean? What qualities mark a man or woman as a “professional?” So far in this series, I’ve suggested that “compassion,” “justice,” “common sense,” a “commitment to excellence, a “wholehearted determination to always tell the truth,” and an “attention to details” are all marks of a professional. This time I add to the list “going the second mile.”

Matthew 5:38-42 (NIV) reads:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. ’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

Jesus’ words during that most famous discourse known as “The Sermon on the Mount,” found in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5, 6 and 7, have always startled people because they cut so sharply across the grain we call “normal” in our gutsy and materialistic culture. Nevertheless, the deep underlying philosophy that this One—known as Immanuel, God With Us—was teaching characterizes an individual who is determined to do his or her very best to meet and exceed the “customer’s” or “constituent’s” or “client’s” demands.

“Now just one cotton-pickin’ minute,” you interject. “Are you trying to tell me that Jesus Christ was preaching a ‘service excellence’ philosophy?”

Exactly. God’s Son was One who taught excellence as a way of life. He taught, and He demonstrated, excellence permeating every aspect of one’s being. So, in a customer service realm, excellence often means “going the second mile.” Let me illustrate.

Some years ago, my wife, Shirley, was searching through the library at Central Connecticut State University trying to get some material on a project that had taken place in the Pittsburgh (PA) public schools called “Arts Propel.” This project, in turn, is based on work done at Harvard University called “Project Zero.” She needed the information for a research paper she was writing for one of her graduate courses. Everywhere she searched, she kept hitting a dead end. Finally, she approached a librarian in charge of lnter-Library Loan, hoping that she would be able to locate some material from the Harvard University Library.

“Let me look up that number for you,” the librarian suggested. “Here it is. Listen, please let me make the call for you.”

After reaching the research librarian at the Harvard University Library, the Central Connecticut State University librarian proceeded to efficiently and effectively establish a rapport with the Harvard librarian. She learned that there was a packet of information available.

To speed the process of obtaining the information, the CCSU librarian paid the fee out of her petty cash, rather than insisting that Shirley write a check that would have to clear before Harvard would send the information.

Shirley was astonished! For days she sang the praises of this librarian who did her job, plus “went the second mile” to make certain her customer was satisfied.

In whatever endeavor we undertake in the course of our business lives, or personal lives, it pays dividends in the coinage of professionalism when we willingly “go the second mile.” Maybe we’ve come up against a customer, constituent, or client who never seems satisfied. No matter how hard we try to please this one, all we receive in return is complaint and criticism. Do we determine to get even? Or, do we keep on delivering top quality service, consistently bending over backwards to help our customer?

Or, maybe we’re an individual who has supervisory responsibility. When we spot some aspect of job performance that makes us feel that an employee is going to have a problem with one of the other supervisors, do we ignore it, chuckling to ourselves? Or, do we give the employee a call, or take the employee aside, and suggest he or she check it out with the other department before it becomes a major snag?

As a supervisor, do we continually remind ourselves that our fellow staff members constitute our partners in working hard to ensure our department helps the overall business grow? Or, when times get tough, do we repay years of a loyal and mutually beneficial relationship with unrelentingly hard-nosed supervisory policies?

“Going the second mile” is not necessarily an easy path to take. But, “going the second mile” is another of those rare qualities that the true professional manifests in his or her business life and personal life. It is the living out of an inner conviction. It sets the professional apart from his or her peers. This rings especially true for one who follows the Great King Jesus.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Marks of Professionalism -Part 6: Attention to Details

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

When you say: “She’s a professional.” Or, when you declare: “He conducts himself as a true professional.” What do you mean? Exactly what are those qualities that clearly make one individual appear professional when compared to his or her peers? So far in this series of blog posts, I’ve suggested that “compassion,” “justice,” “common sense,” a “commitment to excellence,” and a “wholehearted determination to always tell the truth” are marks of a professional. This time, I add to the list a “careful attention to details.” And, I offer this illustration:

A professional colleague of mine oversees the Visual Arts department of a medium-sized southern liberal arts college. His role of department chairman is more often taken up with supervisory matters than it is with pedagogical concerns. Almost every phone conversation we have is punctuated by respectfully-told tales of the latest foibles and fancies of the professors, associate professors, assistant professors, adjunct professors, instructors, technicians, and secretaries, who report to my colleague. The contrasts are startling.

Three of his employees are extremely creative, not at all surprising for visual artists. But, their creativity is consuming. Each one is constantly coming up with innovative ideas for teaching, controversial concepts for performance or exhibition, dynamic ways of fund raising, and clever schemes to draw more of the student body into a relationship with the Visual Arts department.

Four of his staff are what would be considered kindly, in most management circles, as “plodders.” These folks know their stuff, but their artistic expression and creativity is commonplace. It may well be that they have never had an original idea between them. Their approach to each new day is to move forward at the same speed they moved through yesterday. If they’ve been able to procrastinate in completing a particular assignment, they will continue to do so until they are practically forced at gunpoint to finish the job.

The creative trio are constantly completing a significant volume of work: position papers, memoranda, analyses, manuscripts, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, scores, and a host of output from the visual arts. There is only one problem. Without fail, every document, visual, handout, etc. is riddled with tiny errors. Errors in spelling, improper numbering of captions or illustrations, incorrect dates, blurred visuals, hastily photocopied sections that aren’t quite straight. This list of miniscule mistakes is almost endless. Perhaps the creative process is so consuming that they just can’t bring themselves to make sure the quality of their output matches the quality of their creativity. Whatever the reason, it drives my colleague, the department chairman, absolutely stark, raving crazy. Fortunately, he seems to have infinite patience and an overwhelming sense of humor.

Perhaps the most ironic part of the whole “workplace soap opera” is that these many tiny mistakes of the highly creative professors are fodder for the plodding four. The ones who never create on their own absolutely delight in finding the errors of their peers. They constantly barrage my colleague with reports of the latest mistakes they have found in some document, visual, or other output. “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, find the mistakes of those who can.” Or, so it seems.

There is always a happy side to my colleague’s phone reports. It comes from two other professors, a husband and wife team, who each consistently function at a high level of energy and creativity, and whose work together is DY-NA-MITE! All material this pair creates is flawless. Pour over their stuff—and the plodders do—but no errors are ever found. Why? Because “He” and “She” possess the quality of a “careful attention to details.”

We already know which category into which we fall. The good news is that by applying just a few organizational techniques, we can begin to develop the habit of giving a “careful attention to details” that may surround our life’s endeavor.

Start by keeping a daily pocket diary or calendar. Note all meetings and appointments and refer to our notes frequently. Jot down the phone calls we must make, and then write a few summary words to help us recall the substance of each conversation later. Put carelessness aside. If we have trouble picking up the mistakes in our written work, enlist the aid of others to check it. Another major point of sloppiness is not using the right terminology. Find out what the correct and standardized terminology is in our particular field and use it consistently.

Even if we’re the owner or CEO of our company, approach each task as if our continued employment depends on the care we give in completing it. Create a mental posture that gives “careful attention to details.” It’s that kind of mental attitude that will set the professional apart from his or her peers. And, as followers of the Great King Jesus, we want to have the marks of a professional.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Marks of Professionalism - Part 5: Telling the Truth

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

Qualities that clearly make one individual appear professional when compared to his or her peers: “compassion,” “justice,” “common sense,” a “commitment to excellence,” and a “wholehearted determination to always tell the truth.”

We live in a society that no longer appears to place a high value on “telling the truth.” In fact, we sometimes seem to pride ourselves on stretching veracity to a line so thin that just one more whisper would snap it like a dry twig. Between media commercials that reward deceit: “Who ate all the Cracklin’ Oat Bran?” to those who suggest that little white lies are really just a part of life: “Only her hairdresser knows for sure!” to the social scientists and pseudo-scientists who suggest that the cruelest of the cruel is to speak truthfully.

Now there’s little question that truth must always be spoken kindly. Nevertheless, when faced with a choice, the true professional—that man or woman of genuine integrity— will always tell the truth. Please let me illustrate my point:

Three decades ago at Christmastime, my wife completed a roll of film and took it to the nearby photo store for processing. These folks have always done a pretty good job, so we’ve come to rely on their service. “Thursday. It’ll be ready on Thursday,” the young clerk intoned.

It fell to me to pick up the much awaited photos of “Christmas on the Farm.” At the appointed hour, I dutifully arrived with the little claim slip from the processing envelope in my hand. “Sorry,” the clerk rattled grimly, “We’re out of photo paper. Your prints will be ready tomorrow.”

“Out of paper? Out of Paper!” I thought to myself as I lumbered back to my car. How can a conscientious owner of a photo store be out of paper. That’s as idiotic as the restaurant or snack shop that advertises “World’s Greatest Onion Rings” being out of onion rings.

Friday afternoon, I trudged back into the photo store, presented my claim slip only to be told, “Our processor’s been broke for two days and was just repaired an hour ago. We’ll have your photos in 45 minutes.” I turned and left the store, deciding not to come back until Saturday.

Saturday afternoon, over 24 hours after my last visit, I popped into the photo store and handed over my claim slip. “Our processor has been down for a couple of days,” the clerk said, apparently not recognizing me as a frequent visitor. “We’ll have your pictures in 40 minutes.”

In those now long-ago days, my colleague, Wayne Moore, often called me “Mr. Patience.” Quite embarrassingly, at that time in my life, I had earned that misnomer with painstaking attention to exhibiting a great deal of impatience at the slightest delay in my planned schedule. On this particular occasion, it was all I could do to turn and leave the store without dramatically displaying my impatience on the way out.

Forty minutes and twenty five seconds later I was back in the store. The owner waited on me and gave me my photos. He did not say he was sorry for the delay. He did not try to explain what had happened. He didn’t even say “Thank you” when I paid him.

Through a determined series of falsehoods, plus an attitude that can only be described as haughty, the photo store owner had lost a customer, and made an enemy. I now make it a point to tell everyone who will listen to my negative opinion about that photo store. So far, I’ve suggested to several other town residents that if they patronize that store, the processing of their valued photos may be delayed.

Did the store run out of paper? Did the machine break? Is 45 minutes really 24 hours long? And, what about saying: “We’re really sorry, but …”

What do we do when we’ve promised customers or constituents that we will provide the product or service they’re expecting and we’ve missed the deadline? Do we tell a lie? Do we blame someone else who really had nothing to do with the delay? Or, do we speak honestly and kindly, apologize, and accept responsibility for our actions?

What about our managers or employees? Do we have one of those classic staff members who can never admit he or she is wrong? Instead, it’s always someone else who contributed to the error. Well, chances are that manager or employee treats our customers the same way. Instead of giving truthful answers, the truth is always slightly twisted to excuse the error.

When a professional makes a mistake, he or she explains what has happened, truthfully and contritely, and expects his or her employees to do the same. The plain fact is there just is no excuse for not “telling the truth.”

Psychologist M. Scott Peck has written a book: People of the Lie. Get it. Read it. And, join the growing number of professionals who speak truthfully. It’s just one more quality that sets those apart who have determined to be the real leaders—the true professionals—in their chosen industry. And, it is certainly a mark of one who follows the Great King Jesus.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Marks of Professionalism -Part 4: Commitment to Excellence

 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

—Colossians 3:23-24

What are those qualities that clearly make one individual appear professional when compared to his or her peers? We began three blog posts ago with a discussion of the quality of “compassion.” Two blog posts ago, I discussed the quality of a strong sense of “justice.” Last blog post I shared some thoughts on the subject of “common sense.” This time I want to suggest that among those key items which point to professionalism is an overwhelming “commitment to excellence.”

Excellence has been a very popular topic for motivational speakers and writers during the last four decades or so. Countless books, newspaper articles, magazine features, and many, many speeches have been made about the quality of a “commitment to excellence.” Even the military has taken up the theme with the snappy jingle that accompanies an action-packed video extolling the virtue of a soldier’s career: “Be all that you can be, in the Aaaaarrrrr-meeeeee.” And yet, everywhere we go, we bump straight up against a host of people who, day in and day out, perform at some level below a standard of excellence. Here's a couple of examples.

Back when I traveled regularly, I had an experience when it took me four phone calls, speaking each time to a different travel consultant, to try to get the large national travel agency to process my ticket as a full-coach fare. Because I am a Delta Airlines “Million Miler,” having such a ticket would allow me to upgrade my lengthy flight to first class. I finally got the ticket in the mail and, you guessed it, one segment of the ticket is not coded as a “Y.” I wanted to scream, but then thought better of it.

I eat far too many meals at McDonald’s, purposefully choosing smiling Ronald over the people who want me to “have it your way.” My standard drive-thru order is a double cheeseburger with extra cheese, extra onions, no pickle, no katchup, no mustard, and a large diet coke.

“Would you like fries with that?” the voice on the speaker inquires.

“Are they free?” I have learned to ask.

“No, of course not!” is the startled reply.

“Then I guess I’ll just stick with what I ordered,” I respond.

After I pick up my food and drive to a parking spot, what do you suppose I find in the bag when I open it? Well it varies, but only about one-half of the time do I get a double cheeseburger with extra cheese, extra onions, no katchup, no mustard, and no pickle. One time when I was traveling by air, I even watched a grill person in the Cincinnati Airport McDonald’s announce my order correctly, as he lays the wrapped burger on the stainless steel burger trough, repeated by the order taker as she slides the burger into the bag, only to discover no extra cheese and no onions whatsoever, when I sit down to eat the burger. And, of course, I don’t just sit down to eat, I sit down to eat with great anticipation.

Somewhere in this chain of events—from order taker to grill person to shift supervisor to store manager—someone, or maybe several “someones,” does not have a “commitment to excellence.”

Is it so very different in whatever field of endeavor in which you work? Let’s say, for example, that some poor soul calls and says he or she needs the product or service that you provide. Does a mechanism in your company or organization kick in to assure that all along the chain of events—from the moment of this initial call until the product or service is delivered and fully accepted—every person who becomes involved with providing the product or service has a “commitment to excellence”?

Now I’m certainly not just talking about lip service to some pie-in-the-sky vision of “excellence.” Practically everyone I know gives lip service to the importance of a “commitment to excellence.” No, I’m talking about a group of “can do” people deciding it is worth their while to provide a product or service using quality materials in a quality manner, and to do it right the first time.

Customers truly do want the best product or service delivery possible. Even if they are operating with budget restrictions, they still expect that whatever they buy will be provided properly with care and attention to detail.

In my chosen field of fire protection, a “commitment to excellence” impacts significantly on the false alarm problem that has given fire and burglary alarm systems such bad names. If we are committed to providing the best fire alarm system we can, and are further committed to maintaining that system in top condition throughout its useful life, then by our “commitment to excellence” we have taken an important step in the process of eliminating false alarms.

So, how does one internalize this particular mark of a professional? The “commitment to excellence” seems to come, either as a result of several very painful lessons where a failure to perform in an excellent manner resulted in a disaster, or it comes from a personal value you possess that purposefully determines where others err, you will not.

Whichever force motivates us, I would encourage us to actively seek to cultivate a commitment to excellence. Somehow I can’t help but think that such an attitude will reap many, many rewards, especially if we are individuals who have made a commitment to follow the Great King Jesus.

 

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