The telltale signs of a consummate lab professional.

P rofessionalism has an elusive nature. If someone were to ask for a definition, a good bet is that (1) defining behaviors that are not professional rather than behaviors that are professional and (2) thinking of people who exhibit professionalism rather than the characteristics of professionalism would be easier. Why is it hard to define the qualities of such a desirable behavior, and why is it simpler to characterize professionalism negatively rather than positively? One reason might be that professionalism is such an all-inclusive behavior. Being somewhat or usually professional does not count. Thus, the expression consummate professional seems particularly apt, since perfect or flawless are probably the most accurate definitions of consummate in this context. And therein lies the difficulty. The challenge for management — as well as for employees — in getting to the heart of professionalism is trying to identify perfect behavior, only to be followed by the even greater challenge of developing this behavior in the workplace. Four broad categories embrace the attitudes and behaviors that form the foundation for building professionalism in the laboratory: