Professionalism by Peter Woodward

1
Professionalismby Peter Woodward

• LEA Monograph Spring 2004
• Reflection Discussion Guide

2
Professionalism

• What has been your personal experience with
  professionals?
• How does professional behavior differ among
  various professional occupations?

3
Professionalism

• What intrinsic motivation leads an individual to
  act as a professional?
• What extrinsic motivation leads an individual to
  act as a professional?

4
Professionalism

• What evidence supports your professional
  qualifications in each of the five areas of Real
  Professionalism (pages 46)?
• Identify some professional characteristics that
  you admire in colleagues.

5
Professionalism

• Is church work really a profession?
• Support your answer to the question above.
• What significant differences do you detect
  between church workers and other professional
  groups?

6
Professionalism

• Why is it important to consider Scriptures
  impact on the concept of professionalism?
• From what you read on pages 6 and 7, are you
  confident that Scripture supports church work as
  a profession? If not, why?

7
Professionalism

• Identify a breakdown, if any, in your own
  professional practice.
• Have you forgiven yourself?
• Are you ready to move on?
• Identify a breakdown, if any, in the professional
  image of the staff as a whole.

8
Professionalism

• Why might it be difficult to correct professional
  shortcomings in a school or congregation?
• What might make the process easier?

9
Professionalism

• What is your reaction to How ironic that even in
  the church we think we need secular experts for
  counsel and advice on professionalism and
  associated themes, when all the wisdom we need is
  already available in His Word?

10
Professionalism

• What is your responsibility for your own
  professionalism?
• If you have a supervisor, what is his or her
  responsibility for your professionalism?
• What is your school and/or congregations
  responsibility for your professionalism?

11
Professionalism

• Does your ministry organization need to evaluate,
  recommend, approve, and/or implement policy and
  procedures to enhance professionalism?
• Identify specific needs.

12
Professionalism

• For additional information and consideration on
  professionalism, see
  www.lea.org/discussps040
  3.htm.