Believe passionately in what you do, and never knowingly compromise your standards and values. Act like a true professional, aiming for true excellence, and the money will follow.
David MaisterRead
Professional is not a label you give yourself - it's a description you hope others will apply to you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being professional is determined by how others perceive your actions and conduct, not just by self-identification.
David Maister's quote highlights the distinction between self-perception and external validation in a professional context. It suggests that professionalism is characterized by the impressions one leaves on others through their behavior, competence, and reliability, emphasizing that true professionalism resonates through the experiences and opinions of colleagues and clients rather than mere self-proclamation.
Themes
ProfessionalPerceptionReputationConductBehavior
In practice
Example use cases
During a workshop about career development, you might use this quote to emphasize the importance of reputation.
More from David Maister
All quotes →A true professional feels no pressure to run up a client's bill, knowing that any reduction in revenues caused by being efficient will be more than recompensed by the reputation earned for being honest and trustworthy.
David MaisterRead
What you do with your billable time determines your current income, but what you do with your non-billable time determines your future.
David MaisterRead
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