Professionalism: The ABC for Success [Paperback]

Hi, I bought this book to remind myself of what professionalism is all about and I thought it was just right. It will not bore you with in-depth details yet it will remind you of all the basics to get you back on track. I recommend it to anyone needing a bit of a shake up!

This book could by used by individuals at any stage of their career, wherever that may be. Susie's knowledge and experience shines through and creates a useful reference guide which can be picked up and either read cover to cover or dipped into to refresh your memory about the different aspects which go into "making you a professional". The book also reminds us that being a professional is not just about our working life, but that there are aspects which can be used in your personal life. It encourages you to challenge and learn new skills wherever these opportunities may be. It provides a well-rounded approach on all the aspects which will help you become and be seen as a professional.

To be seen as a professional involves thinking about how other people see you and thinking about the ways in which you behave in different situations. The book is organised into separate chapters on attitude, behaviour and character and then develops these aspects over the rest of book, providing practical and achievable changes. Reading through the section on attitude, including areas such as being approachable, reliable and trustworthy; I could see how by just changing the way in which I presented myself I could come across as more professional. The section on behaviour really was thought-provoking, I found myself actively reflecting on different scenarios which I had been involved in and it made me think about how I could do things differently the next time. There are pages at the back of the book designed specifically to help you by allowing you to write down thoughts and reflections, and it has space for the few motivational quotes.

The Chapter entitled "Make it work for you" provides clear explanations on the key issues of professionalism such as empathy, self-belief, marketing ourselves and how we can make this part of our everyday working life. The book is written to encourage you to excel at being a well-rounded professional and the benefits will give you the confidence to achieve what you want and stand out from a crowd. The last section on character aspects of professionalism highlights of all of the useful traits which I hope we all try to live up to i.e. loyalty, integrity and honesty.

This book is not overly descriptive but it is thought-provoking as it encourages you to start thinking about the different aspects of professionalism, without you realising it. The book is clearly laid out: key issues are highlighted on each page to help reinforce the important aspects. The practical advice which is given is straightforward and can easily fit into your working day and life.

I would like to thank Susie Kay for producing an accessible, easy to read summary of the key principles of professionalism.

In no way does this book pretend to be the definitive tome on the subject of 'professionalism' (as if anything could) but it does cover the basic principles of Attitudes (A), Behaviour (B) and Character (C) very well. I also like the fact that Susie understands that professionalism is not owned by those at certain levels within hierarchies or those with professional qualifications, but is something applicable to all.

The book is short and easy to read and would make a great addition to the reading list for many learning, personal development and qualification-based programmes.

It is obviously a book that is aimed at making the reader go further into the subject and question the whole concept of professionalism - which is evident from the Notes pages provided in the book (I wish more books did this rather than forcing us to make notes and comments in the margins).

All in all, I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone starting on a journey into the subject of professionalism.