Something that has become quite a thorn in my side as of late- the use of the word “professional” when it's used as an adjective. I'm sure this is relatable to anyone that has worked under a large business or something like that mentality.
It's control, plain and simple. Control of your demeanor and attitude to something more compliant and subserviant to management or leadership. I've seen this used all too often by bosses and supervisors to quell any kind of disobedience or naysaying when it comes to business practices or even daily tasks.
I like the term to describe someone as a singular person, as the attitude is already implied when calling someone that. It implies expertise in a field before even meeting the person being described. Being -A- professional versus -being- professional. Someone who doesn't appear by traditional terms to be professional could be one of the smartest people in their given field.
Whenever I see or hear a member of leadership using the term in a weaponized manner like this, red flags are shot into the stratosphere. It dictates how close I am to management and how I approach their decisions, as anyone who uses this methodology as a means to weed out and fire anyone they deem unprofessional is inherently immoral, and not worthy of my best efforts.
Not sure if this post will gain any traction, but do you feel the same?