Situational Leadership (thank you Ken Blanchard) has helped many good leaders become even better. But Situational Professionalism, unfortunately, isn’t something that helps anyone get better. When it comes to becoming a better professional, inconsistent behavior isn’t part of the formula.
Consider:
*** John is very professional in staff meetings when the boss is present, but when the boss is absent the gloves come off.
*** Maria has provided much-needed feedback to one colleague (someone she likes) but won’t afford another colleague (someone she dislikes) the same courtesy.
*** Phil publically jumps on the bandwagon in supporting a popular proposal he has serious reservations about while in private badmouthing both the proposal’s sponsor and the proposal itself.
When you think of those professionals you most admire, you’ll be hard pressed to identify one whose behavior was inconsistent in the ways memorialized above. Inconsistent behavior is problematic whenever or wherever it’s exhibited. It reflects poorly on the individual and it erodes trust.
Being professional in one realm while being less-than-professional in another is akin to situational professionalism. Perhaps it’s obvious but the latter erodes the former. Professionalism isn’t situational, it requires our best-self in all situations, not just when we want it to.