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I showed up to my client, a globally recognized video game studio, and I couldn’t ignore the side eyes, grimaces, and heads shaking back and forth as people watched me walk towards the main lobby. I immediately felt like an outsider, but I grew up a gamer with my Commodore 64 and then Atari 2600 (I still have remnants of the indent in my palm from the oversized joystick). However, no one saw my decades of experience playing games to prove I was one of them; people saw my ironed slacks, freshly pressed oxford shirt, and polished black loafers. I probably looked more like a corporate accountant than a guy who grew up on Pac-Man and Asteroids. And I’m not even sure those old school titles would’ve gained much credibility in the eyes of the programmers and designers that I was working with that day, but I learned a valuable lesson. Professionalism lies in the eyes of the environment.
Professionalism nowadays is about reading the culture and showing up in a way that advances the conversation, promotes organizational values, and respects individuality.
I remember my boss early in my career had an explicit discussion with me about professionalism. Today, it probably would’ve been characterized as a difficult conversation, but back then it was just a one-on-one. My manager proceeded to share a list of appropriate behaviors he expected me to demonstrate. My hair couldn’t be below my collar, and I had to be clean shaven every day. I wasn’t supposed to interject unless I was called on in a meeting. I had to wait until the more senior people took their seats or made their lunch choices before I sat down and ordered food. Professionalism was defined more as hygiene and deference. This approach seems antiquated nowadays.
Going back to the gaming studio, I was fortunate enough to have my client pull me aside and suggest that I “tone it down.” I told her that my intention was to show up in a professional manner, and she appreciated it. However, as she reminded me, “When in Rome...” She explicitly stated that I shouldn’t feel obligated to wear a collared shirt and suggested nice sneakers instead of dress shoes. She explicitly called out that I would probably get a better reaction if I wore jeans or even shorts instead of slacks.
“Jeans? I should really wear jeans?” I asked. "Yes," she said, " if you don’t want your clothing to be a distraction, this is what shows up as professional here."
I have since come to understand that culture and environment strongly influence the norms of behavior that define professionalism. Do we read the situation and understand how to show up to be most effective? That’s modern-day professionalism.
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