Conduct yourself professionally at your workplace

Many people think that the workplace is a busy place and your professional conduct there will hardly get noticed. All that is required of you is to perform your job well. But the fact is that all eyes are on you; any unprofessional behaviour will be picked up and impact your career. 

How do you conduct yourself professionally at your workplace? In fact, anything that you do from the time you enter and the time you leave has to be impeccable. If you adhere to thee following, you will come to be regarded in high esteem by one and all:

• Dress appropriately: Irrespective of whether the dress of the day is formals or casual, you should invariably look smart. If there is no dress code prescribed, you must select clothes that gel with the nature of work. Remember that dressing well is a form of good politeness and good manners.
• Be punctual: Coming late to the office or for any meeting will portray your lackadaisical attitude. Others will think that you have scant regard for their time. You must be present at the venue for any activity or event at least a couple of minutes in advance. Remember that if you are early, you are on time and if you are on time, you are late. 
• Don't tell lies: Any action that smacks of deceit and duplicity will project you in adverse limelight.  You need to be always frank and honest in your dealings.  If you lie and others come to know about it, they will never trust you. Even if you tell the truth, doing so with bad intent is as bad as telling lies.
• Maintain a positive disposition: It is well known that negativity is communicable and infectious. Your negative outlook will serve to pull down others and you will not be appreciated, including by your boss. But if you have to take up a stand, you must do so, but must offer recommendations for improvement. You must avoid being a perennial cribber. Remember that your positive disposition will lead to positive outcomes.
• Don't grumble: There are moments when everybody has mood swings. You must hang your bad mood on the peg at home. If your work per se is the reason for your bad mood, then you must introspect to determine corrective actions required. You must build up trust, reduce stress, amplify gratitude and mute your grumbling.
• Stay away from gossip: You may get to know many things about others, including their private matters. But sharing it with anybody at your workplace is best avoided. Maturity demands that you stay away from all tittle-tattle and whispering campaigns. It needs to be understood that talking about people behind their back speaks more about you than them; therefore you do not be a party to any gossip mongering.
• Don't use unparliamentary language: Foul language has no place at your workplace. It will surely offend others. As a guideline, something that you would say to your parents, you should say it at your workplace. Remember that a person of dignity will never use unparliamentary language and display of professionalism at workplace is all about maintaining your dignity. 
• Own your mistakes: It may be difficult alright, but you must have the courage to own up your mistakes and take appropriate remedial action to offset the harm that they may have done. Repetition of mistakes will project you in poor light. If at all you err, you should not point fingers; if there happens to be collective responsibility, your acknowledgement should prompt them to admit theirs too.
• Help your colleagues: You must share the load of your co-workers. After all, anybody’s success at the workplace manifests everybody’s success and speaks well of every person at the workplace. But you must guard against being adamant to help out; if somebody desires to be left alone, you should not insist on helping him or her.
• Don't get into an altercation: Because a workplace is all about people, there will be disagreements; you may even disagree with your boss. But you should not become irate. Any inclination to raise your voice should be curbed as also resorting to intemperate actions. You must put across your views calmly and if they are not accepted, there is no point n being unduly persistent. And most importantly, you should always avoid getting into a physical contact.
• Avoid discussing your personal matters: There is nothing wrong in confiding something in a close friend, but you must guard against telling everyone. You need to be wise and prudent about whom you engage in a conversation, more so when the subject happens to be your personal life. 

Demonstrating professionalism is important for job advancement, recognition and to show others that you are supportive. Professionalism is not a tag that you attach to yourself. It is a description that others apply to you. And that is what should always be borne in mind while you are at your workplace.