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The question of what it means to be a professional was explored at length in PRB’s September and October 2007 issues (“How Professional Are You,” Parts 1 and 2). One conclusion was that some managers aspire--or are inspired--to achieve a special type of professionalism referred to as a “calling.” This was explained as a harmonious combination of internal and external perspectives about skill set, motivation and perception.
In their book, Good Work, noted psychologists Howard Gardner (multiple intelligences), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (flow) and William Damon (morality) examined what it means to be “called” in relation to finding personal and professional fulfillment by producing high-quality work that also has a positive impact on society. The authors’ basic question is, In these challenging times, can people be both excellent and ethical?
Four Powerful Forces
The answer seems like a simple “yes,” but four forces in the modern world create scenarios in which managers are faced with difficult choices: