Page 14 - Becoming a Successful Manager

What Is a Professional Manager? 5

• Be the inspiration and guiding force that leads your depart-
ment forward.

These are tall orders, but they are, in part, the responsibilities
you assumed when you donned the mantle of manager. When you
accepted this position, your implied promise, assuming you want
to be the best leader you can be, was to be an effective teacher,
a sensitive counselor, and a master gardener. A professional and
successful manager assumes all three roles.
Before we examine the nature of these roles, let’s discuss what
it means to be a professional manager—or, for that matter, a pro-
fessional in any occupation—and what distinguishes professionals
from nonprofessionals. The distinction between professionals and
nonprofessionals is based on more than the results they achieve
or whether or not they get paid for their work. Rather, the basic
differences center on how they approach their work, how they
interact with their clients or customers, and how they present
themselves to the world.

Professionals Versus Nonprofessionals

Professionals know what they’re doing and are in full control
of their domain. This control, which stems in part from profes-
sionals’ thorough knowledge of their areas of expertise, enables
them to execute responsibilities with utmost confi dence. Convey-
ing a true image of quiet strength, they engender trust from the
people under their infl uence. Conversely, nonprofessionals are
unsure of themselves, in part because they lack the knowledge

and experience to be surefooted. This lack of confidence in what
they’re doing causes them to be defensive when their decisions