Inclusive Leadership and the Elements of Professionalism

In January 2022, Henry County Water Authority (the Authority) launched its Leadership Academy, an annual 10-month program (January to October) designed to identify and develop leaders, and to expand communication and cross-training between departments. One important aspect of the program is a monthly 'Lunch & Leadership' series on a variety of topics integral to the success of each leader within the Authority. One of the more popular topics in the series is 'The Elements of Professionalism' upon which this presentation is based. The impact of this particular training session resonated so much with the leaders of the first cohort in 2022 that several of them requested to be included specifically in this session in 2023. In the words of Amit Kalantri, 'Professionalism is not about what work you do; it is about how well you do the work.' This interactive session addresses three basic questions, 'What is a profession?'; 'Who is a professional?' and 'What is professionalism?'. 'A Profession is a any type of work that needs special training or a particular skill, often one that is respected because it involves a high level of education.'1 'A Professional is a member of a Profession. Professionals are governed by codes of ethics and profess commitment to competence, integrity and morality, altruism and the promotion of the public good within their expert domain. Professionals are accountable to those they serve and to society.'2,3 'Professionalism is the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.'4 The bulk of the time will be focused on the 'eight elements of professionalism'5 which transcend education, professional background, and level in any organization. These are: 1) Honesty/ Integrity 2) Reliability/ responsibility 3) Respect for others 4) Compassion/ Empathy 5) Self-improvement 6) Self-awareness/ knowledge of limits 7) Communication/ collaboration 8) Altruism/ advocacy For each element we will first discuss what it is, providing 3 or 4 simple characteristics which enable each participant to clearly understand the element. Once complete, we will discuss what each element looks like, outlining simple actions that support the characteristics of the element. Weaved throughout this presentation are principles of Inclusive Leadership including, 'fairness, treating people equitably, becoming a leader for all, respecting people's rights, prioritizing the welfare of the team, putting aside special interests and caring about someone else's lived experience.' Participants in this session should be able to connect with at least one of these elements and use what they learn immediately in their roles as leaders in their own organizations and mentors to those leaders who are now emerging.