Can’t Always Judge a Book by its Cover
I recently received a few emails from readers concerned about the cover of PRO’s Summer issue. It lacked professionalism, they wrote, because the operator should have been attired in uniform. To show anything or anybody less is doing the industry a disservice.
I replied that their point was well-taken, and that we’ll strive to ensure a more “professional look” on all of our covers; most of our cover subjects in the past were wearing company uniforms. But it got me thinking (and that can be scary) that there is more to professionalism than meets the eye. Oh, we all know that, but sometimes it’s good to revisit old axioms.
What does it take to be a professional in this industry, or any other industry for that matter? Interestingly enough, I’ve had several conversations recently with PLANET president Bill Hildebolt, Ph.D., CTP, CTP-CSL on just that subject. Bill is very focused and vocal about the need to continue to raise the level of professionalism within the green industry. Bill identifies five key ingredients that comprise all true professionals. They are, in no particular order, technical skills, life balance, personal character, social skills, and the willingness to work hard.
On the subject of appearance, he suggests that individuals need to be cautious when making a direct comparison between looking and being professional. Yes, an unkempt appearance can bring into question one’s credentials and work ethic, Bill related to me, but a clean-shaven, nicely outfitted person can still be technically inept and lazy.
From Bill’s perspective, and he has years of industry experience under his belt, when green industry service providers look and act professional, then customers will view them as professionals, which gives them a leg up on “less professional” competitors. But it’s the complete picture that truly counts, and one PRO strives to paint in every issue as well.
It is agreed that, from time to time, we profile contractors who may be wearing a sweatshirt without a company logo. Would we like everyone in our industry to wear a uniform? Sure. Is it likely? No. Would we prefer everyone on our cover to be wearing a uniform? Of course, but it’s also unlikely because we want our stories to be real and representative of the industry.
Our charge is to make sure the individuals who wear the clothes are professionals. As Bill points out, appearance is important, but there are other factors that are just as important such as being ethical and having other “professional” attributes.
~ Rod Dickens, PRO senior editor