The professional: In brief

Everyone around us wants us to act professionally at every stage from where life takes a reckoning. In the western world it’s from school when you start working part time.
When it comes India m mostly it is in college but sadly we ignore the fact that being professional is something internal and has a deep effect on and not a coat which you can acquire.

A big thanks to Venkatnarayanan sir for suggesting me this book and I owe you a lot for this sir.

The book is the third in the series after "High performing Entrepreneur" and "Go kiss he world" by Subroto Bagchi the Gardner of Mindtree ltd.

The book is divided into Seven parts

i) Integrity

ii) Self Awareness: Where competence ends and professionalism takes over

iii)Professional qualities

iv)Managing volumes

v) Managing complexity

vi) The new world imperatives

vii) The professional's professional

Each part is carefully divided and is to be read in the sequenced order and with its blend of current incidents and everyday problems this book reaches straight to the heart hopefully to make sense for the head

The first part integrity speaks about the story of a young man in Bangalore who is forced to take up doing last rituals of unknown bodies as a source of lively hood and rather taking a hate in it he shows so much dignity and respect towards his job that people appreciate him and even reward him.

He also speaks about how integrity is a very personal thing which cannot be taught and there are certainly areas where i feel some striking similarities in the people from whom we have learnt Integrity. My father is very much like Mr. Bagchi's father who even though was a government servant took pride in their job and strictly separated professional and personal things which are the view young men and women should develop.

The second part speaks on understanding who you are and to stop false comparisons which are mostly done in monetary terms and could lead to breach of ethics. It’s time we looked beyond money and see that money does not define us it also speaks a lot on humility an area where the hospitality sector is where the GM of a hotel acts as the gatekeeper or shoe polish man which shows the humility they have and also on taking charge most of them I see people around me crying that things are not right and things are bad but they do nothing to change the situation sometimes you could be the best in talent but if you can't take charge you fail. He cites an example of a situation in which he takes the top brass of the company out for training and puts them in a real time cliché situation where two young men ahead of all the others take charge which earns them special respect.

The third parts speaks on qualities which define a true professional areas like time spent on required areas and saying no as well as the comparison of a job into marriage where you ensure when you leave it you don't cause a behind.

There is some inspiration from tipping point by Malcolm Gladwell when he talks about Mavens Connectors and evangelists

The fourth part touches on asking pertinent questions and realizing the fact that we are Humans and everybody should be treated Humanely and the great rewards of transparency

The fifth and sixth part talk about critical questioning and the pain of personal life with the example of Anu Aga. and also on new world lust like IPR and also on gender and cultural diversity

The final part is the yen for professionalism where he recalls about incidents in Japan where professionalism comes ahead of everything else he narrates the example of a bellboy in a hotel who took offense when he was offered a tip.

The book concludes with a quoting about an incident from death where an unclaimed body is sold off to signify what starts with death should end with death.

Personally a book I loved and should be made a must read for all budding professionals. The concept of part time jobs when young can induce a steep culture of professionalism at least Internships from where students learn how to be PROFESSIONAL