30 October 2009
Definition:
Professional - expert or specialist in the field one practice professionally
Loyal - faithful or devout to a cause
What I mean about professional in here is doing what you are good at, eg: marketing, logistic, etc. And loyal means being faithful to the company where you work or even to your boss.
What are you?
Which side do you lean on?
Why do you think that one is more important than the other?
4 Nov 2009
Responding to @ptbkr comment:
Yeap, you're right about my definition that is far too extreme :) I just wonder how far people are willing to abandon their professionalism for loyalty. Sacrificing professionalism might jeopardize work performance. Unless, you really like the new experience you're doing now.
I, myself, am a follower to your short-term loyalty idea. To be exact, I'm loyal to myself. I can stick with what I am good at or even try new profession at a new workplace. It gives us a broader knowledge about stuff happens in life.
So, here's the next question:
As a boss, what do you demand more from your subordinates? Loyalty or professionalism?
I'll choose "loyal", but not the loyalty doctrine that you described (faithful to company...boss) which I think is absurd. There is no such loyalty in the world and if some people believe in it, they need to be awakened from the dream. I propose, however, there should be a virtue called a short-term loyalty, loyal to a cause. If that cause still exists through a work (or business) or a figure (leader or boss) then we can still be loyal. Blind loyalty is a wrong belief, a hellish world, the evil of capitalism as described by Marx... (In US, if you're just starting out, can you imagine that you only get 14 days off in a year, that's oppresive)
ReplyDeleteIf you are a worker, then you should have a short-term loyalty. If you are a boss you should embrace the reality that you are part of this big unvoidable but tasty thing called capitalism with its darker side as well. Meaning: go exploit them as much as you can but please, please, don't at the same time expect them to be loyal.
I would choose profesionalism because it entails, at least some amount of, loyalty. And it is not always true if the relationship is the other way around.
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