Field Notes #2: Is Professionalism Colorblind?

The Situation

A senior leader asked to meet because she was concerned about one of her teams."They're just not very professional," she said.

I asked what had happened. There wasn't a major incident. No ethics violations. No complaints. No missed deadlines that explained the concern. Instead, what she was describing was a feeling, and it seemed to be that the team made her uncomfortable.

The team was louder than others. Meetings felt less polished. Some people interrupted. Others were more expressive. The conversations didn't always follow the unwritten rules she expected.

So I asked another question. "What does unprofessional mean?" The more we explored it, the harder it became to identify an objective behavior that separated this team from the others she supervised. What she could describe clearly was her discomfort.

When Professionalism Becomes a Proxy

Professionalism sounds objective, but most of the time, it isn't. Too often, professionalism becomes a catch-all explanation for behaviors we don't personally like but can't justify correcting. It becomes a way to avoid saying what we're actually reacting to.

Sometimes we're reacting to communication styles. Sometimes we're reacting to race, gender, age, disability, culture, class, accent, neurodivergence, or other identities that shape how people move through the world. And because "professionalism" sounds neutral, we rarely stop to ask whether we're describing an observable behavior or expressing an implicit bias.

This matters because labeling someone as unprofessional carries enormous consequences. It influences hiring decisions, promotions, performance evaluations, leadership opportunities, and whose ideas are taken seriously. Even when a team is struggling, professionalism is often blamed for problems it didn't create.

• Conflict is labeled unprofessional instead of unresolved and helpful.

• Direct communication is labeled unprofessional instead of unfamiliar and…. helpful.

• Innovation is labeled unprofessional because it disrupts established norms and is…. helpful.

• Emotion is labeled unprofessional instead of engaged and…. HELPFUL!!!

  
  

When leaders cannot define professionalism with observable, measurable behaviors, it stops being a leadership standard and starts becoming a projection.

That's where bias quietly enters the room, shapes company culture, and causes harm.

Your Turn...

Jamesa and I don't help organizations memorize scripts or provide easy answers. We help workplaces lead with more compassion, curiosity, and compassion. So,as you reflect on this story, consider:

• Can you point to observable behaviors, or are you describing your personal comfort?

• Which demographic in your organization is most often described as "professional"? Who is least often given that label?

• What assumptions about race, gender, culture, class, disability, age, or communication style might be shaping those judgments?

• If you removed the word professionalism from your vocabulary, how would you describe the behavior you truly need to address?

Field Notes is a series of leadership dilemmas drawn from real organizational life. Names and identifying details have been changed. The aim is to help us all lead with more humanity.