Professionalism PDF

Professionalism College of Pharmacy Department of Clinical Pharmacy Outline Introduction to professionalism Values, Willingness, Behavior, Self-management, Appearance & presence Communication Writing professional emails Plagiarism...

Professionalism College of Pharmacy Department of Clinical Pharmacy Outline Introduction to professionalism Values, Willingness, Behavior, Self-management, Appearance & presence Communication Writing professional emails Plagiarism 14-Sep-24 2 Introduction to professionalism  Introduction There is a difference between a professional and being professional. Professionalism is difficult to conceptualize, it is a way of being rather than a checklist of things. This way of being is made up of appearance, manner, communication, interacting, attitudes, approach, skills and openness to grow. 14-Sep-24 4 Introduction Professionalism is a combination of taught aspects, like knowledge and skills, and learning gained through experience, such as experiential knowledge and the way to behave with particular people in particular situations. Professionalism can be learnt through observing others and through personal experience. 14-Sep-24 5 Introduction Various skills are important to professionalism, but a key aspect is interpersonal skills. Achieving and succeeding in the requirements of the role, in a certain way, to a certain standard and within a specific time frame, characterizes professionalism. 14-Sep-24 6 Introduction Personal professionalism goes beyond being a specialist, it is not just about knowledge but also about attitudes, values and conduct. Professional appearances, manner and etiquette are all important facets of personal professionalism. Professionalism is how you interact as well as what you produce. Interacting with others appropriately and respectfully, communicating clearly and directly and interpersonal skills are all essential to being professional. 14-Sep-24 7 Introduction How to act in the way the role requires is important, which is a learning process, often understood through the example of others. You are representing not only yourself but more importantly you are a representative of the organization. Helping the organization to create an image, and you are a representative of that image. 14-Sep-24 8 Introduction In organizations you are often working with different people (different personalities, background, levels of knowledge) at different levels of status and hierarchy. Professionalism is to treat your colleagues respectfully and equally. A professional sees himself and his role in the wider contexts of team, department and organization. This requires respect for the organization's structures and hierarchy. 14-Sep-24 9 Introduction A professional demonstrates commitment to the organization's values and ethics, policies and codes of conduct, so you need to be able to adhere to these when at work, remaining objective if they conflict with your personal values. There may be times when there is a conflict between what you believe is right and the organization believes is the right thing to do: a good professional is able to manage this conflict. 14-Sep-24 10 Values Professionalism is about not only doing it because you are told to, but doing it because of internalized professional values and doing it for self, out of intrinsic motivation. 14-Sep-24 11  Values Some of the important values and characteristics that make up this identity are: Respect, trust, equality, and justice Sincerity, honesty, integrity, patience A good work ethic, characterized by commitment, dedication, perseverance, hard work Balance Discipline Ability to identify what is required, how to achieve it, and reflect and evaluate 14-Sep-24 12 Willingness Here are some of the dimensions of willingness Willing to try to perform at a high standard Openness and willingness to learn and develop for the role Willingness to do that bit extra, which is necessitated by taking the initiative and an aspect of creativity A willingness to learn from mistakes and be open to constructive criticism, seeing criticism as positive chances for change Willingness to see alternative perspectives to your own Willingness to both learn from others and teach others (ability to lead and to be led) Growth and self-development. 14-Sep-24 13 Behavior Here are some important aspects of behavior required of a professional: The ability to maintain professional boundaries (It also means keeping personal problems outside of work) The ability to make good decisions and how to deal with situations and problems is important. So problem-solving is key, but also being calm and developing coping capabilities. Decision-making is also important and is the willingness to explain your decisions Maintaining professional standards and conduct regardless of how other people may be behaving 14-Sep-24 14 Behavior Here are some important aspects of behavior required of a professional: Collaborate rather than compete Encourage and help others Provide a positive example Being flexible Able to transfer skills and generalise what has been learnt to other contexts Enthusiasm which infects other people 14-Sep-24 15 Self-management A professional is expected to manage himself and regulate his own behavior. Knowing your own limits, taking responsibility for your own decisions and actions and knowing when to seek help are all important aspects of self-management. 14-Sep-24 16  Self-management In addition, the following are important. Being aware of your own emotions and how they affect what you do, and managing your emotions so that they do not interfere in a negative way with your work Communication – being able to conduct professional conversations, knowing what/what not to say and how to say it Speaking well, concisely and clearly – being comprehensible Being polite and respectful – addressing people with their titles is important 14-Sep-24 17 Self-management In addition, the following are important. Being approachable Being able to write appropriately in ways that meet the needs and interests of the audience When resolving issues, remain objective rather than being personal 14-Sep-24 18  Appearance & presence First appearances matter! Different organizations have different views on dress, important to consider it in the particular environment Dress appropriately, not only for yourself to help get into the role but also to create a good impression to others and to be taken seriously. Presence comes from combining appearance with the behaviors and self-management characteristics 14-Sep-24 19 Pharmacists & Pharmacy Students Pharmacists and pharmacy students act professionally when they display the following 10 broad traits: Accountability for his/her actions Commitment to self-improvement of skills and knowledge Conscience and trustworthiness Covenantal relationship with client (patient) Creativity and innovation Ethically sound decision-making Knowledge and skills of a profession Leadership Pride in the profession Service oriented 14-Sep-24 20 Communication Communication Through official KKU channels: BB course messages KKU email Use your own KKU email for sending emails ([email protected]) Use professional/polite language 14-Sep-24 22 Writing Professional Emails Start with a meaningful subject line 14-Sep-24 24 Start with a meaningful subject line Your subject line should be brief but not vague. Give your recipient an idea of what to expect in the body of your email and help them prioritize its importance. Additionally, a good and clear subject line will not cause your email to be mistaken as spam. 14-Sep-24 25 Start with a meaningful subject line For example, if you’re emailing your lecturer about extending the deadline of an assignment, your subject line could be, “Request for assignment deadline extension PSY4002” as it lets your lecturer know which of his or her class you are referring to and what the matter is about without beating around the bush. 14-Sep-24 26  Include formal salutations 14-Sep-24 27  Include formal salutations When composing an email, begin by addressing your recipient courteously using the appropriate salutations (e.g. Dear Mr. / Miss / Mrs. / Madam / Tuan / Puan etc.). If you are unsure, the safest bet is to use “Dear Sir / Madam” as it addresses neutrality. 14-Sep-24 28  Include formal salutations On the other hand, if you are emailing someone with an official title (e.g. Dr., Prof., Hj., etc), do address them accordingly as it commands respect. Additionally, avoid using your recipient’s first name unless your addressee signs off with it in his or her response. Don’t forget to start off your email with “Dear *insert name*” instead of “Hey” as it sounds more professional. 14-Sep-24 29 Always be courteous Before sending an email, it’s important to think about setting a positive and professional tone. As a rule of thumb, after your salutations, you can either immediately dive into the reason for your email or add brief pleasantries such as, “I hope this email finds you well,” before plunging into your content. This gives the email a friendlier tone, but feel free to tailor it based on your preferences. 14-Sep-24 30 Stick to basic fonts 14-Sep-24 31  Stick to basic fonts Avoid fancy or hard-to-read fonts when writing emails (e.g. Papyrus, Blackadder ITC, Lucida, etc.) and stick to commonly used fonts, such as Arial, Calibri and Times New Roman in size 10pt, 11pt or 12pt. You might also want to omit smileys or emojis until you’ve established rapport with the person, or avoid them at all cost if your recipient does not use them, especially if they are your senior. 14-Sep-24 32 Stick to basic fonts Similarly, avoid using abbreviations (e.g. LOL, IDK, TBH, etc.) or lesser known acronyms as it might not only confuse your recipients, but it may be considered unprofessional in some office environments. Your email exchanges should always be formal and professional, especially if you’re sending it to someone you don’t know. 14-Sep-24 33 Keep it short and simple 14-Sep-24 34 Keep it short and simple If you are sending an email to your lecturer, begin your email by including your name as per your student ID, student ID number and your lecturer’s subject module code so that you can easily be identified amidst the hundreds of students. Thereafter, specify your intention of emailing and keep it brief. Your recipient may be busy and will not want to spend more time than necessary reading between the lines for a hidden message. 14-Sep-24 35 Closing off your email 14-Sep-24 36  Closing off your email Before signing off an email, thank your recipients for their time — keep in mind that they are taking time off their busy schedules to read and respond to your queries. It never hurts to add a line saying, “Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I look forward to hearing from you.”. On the other hand, if you require a speedy reply, let your recipient know how soon you need it by (e.g. “I hope to hear from you by 5pm today (Wednesday, 7 February 2018)”) and follow up after 2-4 working days if they have not responded. 14-Sep-24 37 Sign off with a professional email signature To display a sense of professionalism, always have a proper signature. You can use common sign offs such as “Regards”, “Warm regards” or “Best”, followed by your full name and contact number. 14-Sep-24 38 Sign off with a professional email signature Here is a sample of a professional signature: 14-Sep-24 39  Proofread, proofread, proofread! Ideally, your email should be free of spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors as it not only shows a sense professionalism, but also showcases your attention to detail. Apart from checking your emails for spelling errors, ensure that you have attached the necessary files, and most importantly, that you are sending it to the right people. After all, it doesn’t take long to give your email a cursory once-over before hitting the ‘Send’ button. 14-Sep-24 40  Respond promptly The time taken to respond to emails may vary between people, but the ideal response time should be within 24 hours. Remember — missed emails = missed opportunities! However, before you fire off a response, ensure that your responses are accurate. If you need time to mull over your responses, acknowledge that you have received the email with the promise to get back to your sender at the earliest convenience. 14-Sep-24 41 Plagiarism Plagiarism “Plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the appropriation, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the submission of it as one’s own academic work offered for credit. 14-Sep-24 43  How to avoid plagirisim? Plagiarism can usually be avoided by clearly citing the work of others when it appears in your own work. This means that the full extent of the reliance on the other work is clearly indicated. Whatever is being quoted should either appear in quotation marks (if it is relatively brief) or be indented (if it is more than a sentence or two). If a summary of facts or an argument is presented that is a paraphrase of another’s work, that should be clearly indicated even if the material is not directly quoted. 14-Sep-24 44  Plagiarism Plagiarism is not restricted to copying from a published source. Copying without acknowledgment from an unpublished manuscript that was, for example, written by another student would also constitute plagiarism. 14-Sep-24 45  Plagiarism If a student completes an assignment and then uses all or a portion of that assignment as full or partial completion of another assignment, in the same class or in a different class, without the express permission of the instructor, the student has committed scholastic dishonesty. In general, substantially the same work product should not be turned in for credit in more than one class without the instructor’s permission. 14-Sep-24 46 References http://surreyprofessionaltraining.pbworks.com/f/PERSONAL+PROFE SSIONALISM+LEAFLET+FINAL.pdf https://eduadvisor.my/articles/students-guide-to-writing- professional-emails/ https://pharmacy.utexas.edu/about/college-policies/code-conduct 14-Sep-24 47 14-Sep-24 48