Blog: What is professionalism?

Business consultant Steve Billingham outlines the difference between being professional and being ‘good’

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Business consultant Steve Billingham outlines the difference between being professional and being ‘good'.

Much has been written in the financial services media and elsewhere about professionalism, qualifications and codes of ethics. This is to be expected from an industry that is (in the main) moving towards standards of professionalism and qualification designations that are more closely aligned with those of solicitors and accountants. I prefer the phrase ‘professional excellence’ to ‘pro­fessionalism’, on the basis that it is absolutely possible to be professional without necessarily being particularly good. Professional excellence is often a mindset rather than a specific standard. ...

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