How Professionalism is the New Lame.

I realized how lame “professionalism” has gotten when someone at a previous employment micromanaged an email that I was about to send. So before I sent an email to an individual who is high on the government pay scale, a supervisor wanted to see the email draft first to ensure it was professional. 

I felt offended. I’m 35 years old and a 10+ year Army veteran, I know how to send a “professional” email. And I know this supervisor never saw me send an unprofessional email. Did he think I was incompetent? 

Second, professionalism these days is really to each their own. The fact that Trump got elected President twice after all the unprofessionalism he displayed and criminal activity, I don’t want to hear shit from people telling me how to be professional.

I’m not saying that Trump’s behavior excuses what we know as professionalism, but it does set the tone for what we’re willing to put up with. People accept Trump’s behavior because he’s a rich white man who can give them what they want. While I feel like I’m expected to uphold the most professionalism not because of the expectation of my character, but because I’m Black and just a Contractor, but more so because I’m Black. Feels like Black people have always been held to a higher “respectable” standard.

I’ve received emails where a coworker addressed somebody as Mr. [Last Name] and in the same email, addressed me as Cam. My name is Cameron. My signature block says Cameron. People can’t even address me by my name. Addressing one person by their last name and then nicknaming someone in the same email is tacky and quite obvious who’s worthy of more respect. 

That’s why I don’t have my face as my profile pic. I don’t want people to associate less respect with a Black face who’s just a Contractor.

The only reason I address people by their last name is because I don’t know them. And I do that for everyone regardless of where they’re at in the corporate hierarchy. And if someone addresses me by my first name then I’ll do the same for them. 

Even dressing like a “professional” is outdated. Wearing a suit to work is trying too hard unless you’re a lawyer. Most pastors don’t wear suits anymore. One of my former pastors wore jeans, a polo, and Jordan sneakers as his sermon uniform.

These days the more casual you dress the more confident you look in your capabilities. Like I don’t need to put on a suit because I have no one to impress because my work speaks for itself. Mark Zuckerberg wears t-shirts to work to focus on work. He doesn’t have to ensure his tie is tight, his shirt is neatly tucked in, and that his shoes aren’t scuffed. Steve Jobs was known for wearing black turtlenecks. And the only time you see Elon Musk in a suit is when he’s at a special event, looking like his mom forced him in a suit for Easter Sunday.

 The only time I’ve been required to wear a suit to work was my first day on the job and when an important individual visited. I also don’t like suits because everytime I wear one I get questioned if I’m going to an interview. Even the occasional times I wore a suit to work because I just felt like it, coworkers asked if I’m going to an interview.  I’m especially sensitive to this as a Black man because people don’t assume that the Black man is wearing a suit because he has a job. People assume he’s looking for an entry position.

While my job has a pretty relaxed standard for business casual, jeans are still restricted to Fridays. I’m fine with that even though I still want to wear jeans throughout the week. I’m not yet an advocate of wearing whatever the hell you want to work either. One time my wife was walking out the door to work wearing sweatpants. She works in a school and it was during the summer break when no kids were there, but still, I was like, you’re going to work in that?