Professional behaviour

Chapter overview
Professional behaviour refers to an individual’s conduct and interactions with others in the
workplace. Our behaviours are the ways that people can observe and make judgements about
our ethics and trustworthiness. Displaying high levels of professionalism can have a number of
career benefits, including improved reputation, employability, job opportunities, and even
improved job satisfaction.
This topic will cover key elements of the theoretical basis of professional behaviour, as well as
industry standards with regard to expected conduct in business. These concepts include:
• Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB)
• Counterproductive work behaviour (CWB)
• The CMI Code
• The ILM code of conduct
During this topic, you will assess your own level of professionalism and use this to inform your
reflective practice. Further reading is indicated to explore these concepts in more detail, including
understanding performance blocking behaviour and understanding good practice in conflict
resolution.
1

Learning outcomes
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
• Critically evaluate perspectives on the key behaviours of highly effective people
• Critically evaluate your current level of professionalism within the context of theory and devise
a clear development approach
1

Chapter summary
In this topic, we discuss professional behaviour, including its meaning and its benefits. We also
consider some of the theoretical concepts which are a base for current thinking, as well as
exploring the industry standards with regard to codes of professional conduct.
There is no absolute definition of what is considered professional behaviour; instead, different
organisations and professional bodies tend to come to their own agreement on what professional
behaviour looks like in practice. However, there are some consistencies across all these agreed sets
of behaviours.
Professional behaviour refers to an individual’s conduct; this can include behaving with integrity
and demonstrating respect towards colleagues. These behaviours can be seen as part of
organisational citizenship behaviour, which means:

”Individual behavior that is not explicitly or indirectly recognized by the formal reward system
and that behaviour plays a vital role in the effective functioning of the organization” (Organ,
1988, p4).
 Counterproductive work behaviour is another concept in the topic of professional behaviour; this
can be described as:

”Intentional employee behavior that is harmful to the legitimate interests of an organization”

(Dalal, 2005, p1241).
Research would suggest that, although it would be reasonable to assume that counterproductive
work behaviour is the opposite of organisational citizenship behaviour, these should actually be
regarded as two distinct concepts.
To aid our reflection on our own organisational citizenship behaviours, we conduct a self-
assessment regarding our behaviours. We also consider what we would include in our own
personal code of conduct. These serve as a basis for our own reflections on what our current
behaviours look like and how we may want to make changes.
Associated learning content includes resources to help us reflect on our communication style and
also adds additional dimensions for consideration. These include the role of personality in
professional behaviour and how professional behaviour may vary in different cultures.
Key Takeaways
• There is no universal list of professional behaviours; various organisations and professional
bodies come to their own agreements about what constitutes professionalism. However, there
are some consistent themes that are usually reflected in most codes of conduct.
• There are numerous career advantages associated with professionalism, including increased
employability and increased career satisfaction. Conversely, behaving unprofessionally can
be very career limiting.
• Theoretical perspectives regarding professional behaviour include organisational citizenship
and counterproductive work behaviours.
• Different cultures may include different behavioural approaches in their definition of
professional behaviour.
1

Context section
What is professional behaviour?
Professional behaviour refers to an individual’s conduct; this is independent of your skillset and
relates to your demeanour and your handling of interpersonal situations. Professional behaviour is
a term that defines workplace etiquette – that means the expectations on individuals in terms of
respectful and courteous conduct towards others.
Ideas on what constitutes professional behaviour can vary from individual to individual and
between organisations. Different professional bodies are also likely to have their own established
codes of conduct which professionals in relevant fields must uphold. However, there does appear
to be a general consensus around the minimum standards and what they look like.
When judging what professional behaviour looks like in practice, it can sometimes be helpful to
consider the opposite – what constitutes unprofessional behaviour? It can also be helpful to
consider how the situation and context impact our judgement of whether behaviour is
professional.
Why is professional behaviour important for personal effectiveness?
When working with other people, the perception of your behaviour as ethical and your reputation
as such are important. Your behaviours are the observable ways through which people can
understand your values, ethics, and personal brand. Professional behaviour builds trust and
respect from colleagues, minimises conflict, and leads to improved opportunities at work
(MacIntosh, 2020). Conversely, unprofessional behaviour is likely to be very career limiting, as well
as impacting negatively on the organisation and colleagues (Miller, 2020).
Research would also suggest that higher levels of professionalism in the workplace lead to higher
levels of reward from employers and, in turn, higher career levels of satisfaction for the individual
(Boyt, Lusch & Naylor, 2001).

Professional behaviour 2
 1 Theoretical basis and industry standards
1.1 The CMI Code
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) defined The CMI Code, a set of standards for
professional behaviour which all members must comply with (CMI, 2018).
• Behaving in an open and trustworthy manner means demonstrating responsibility and
accountability for how you behave and the decisions that you make, being truthful and acting
with integrity.
• Acting in the best interests of your organisation, customers, clients, and/or partners means
representing your organisation in a way that portrays the highest standards, being responsible
with sensitive information, and developing and maintaining relationships based on mutual
trust and respect.
• Continually developing and maintaining professional knowledge and competence means
always striving to develop yourself in terms of your knowledge, skills, and behaviours, seeking
support and feedback in your learning.
• Creating a positive impact on society means acting as a role model in promoting equality of
opportunity and inclusion, respecting diversity, and recognising and valuing the
responsibilities that you have in the communities in which you operate. Part of these
responsibilities is challenging and reporting conduct that is unlawful and/or unethical, as well
as supporting others to do the same.
• Respecting the people with whom you work means supporting colleagues to develop and
progress, recognising their achievements and supporting colleagues’ wellbeing. This includes
demonstrating respect during all interactions and taking all possible steps to ensure that
colleagues are not subject to harassment or bullying.
• Upholding the reputation of the profession and the Institute means upholding the standards
and reputation of the Institute, by behaving in line with the Institute’s mission and values.

1.2 The ILM code of conduct

The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) defined a code of conduct for its members,
which echoes the standards contained in The CMI Code (ILM, 2020). These standards include
requirements for members to:
• Be accountable for their own work and work within their areas of responsibility.
• Conduct all business relationships with high standards of integrity.
• Maintain the highest standards of professional competence, both for themselves and their
teams.
• Demonstrate responsibility in the use of resources for which they are responsible.
• Seek advice and guidance with regard to situations outside of their area of expertise.
• Comply with all legislation any agreements that have been entered into, and any professional
guidelines, such as those issued by the Institute.
• Reject any business practices which would be deemed unethical or dishonest.

1.3 Organisational citizenship behaviour

Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) was first formally defined by Dennis Organ, building
on the earlier work of Bernard (1938) who stressed the importance of individuals’ ‘cooperative
efforts’, and Katz (1964), who proposed ‘extra-role behaviours’ that employees voluntarily
undertake in order to contribute to the organisation’s success. Organ defined OCB as:

”Individual behaviour that is not explicitly or indirectly recognized by the formal reward system
and that behaviour plays a vital role in the effective functioning of the organization” (Organ,
1988, p4).

3 Professional behaviour
 OCBs, according to Organ, are behaviours which are additional to the duties of the role and
relate to going ‘above and beyond’ for the benefit of the organisation. These behaviours were
outlined in Organ’s five factor model of OCB, which consisted of altruism, courtesy,
conscientiousness, civic virtue, and sportsmanship.
• Altruism refers to volunteering to help colleagues when they need assistance.
• Courtesy refers to behaviours that reduce the likelihood of workplace conflict.
• Conscientiousness refers to delivering on the expectations of the company, even when nobody
is watching.
• Civic virtue refers to having an interest and taking proactive steps to help the organisation
perform and grow.
• Sportsmanship refers to enduring less than ideal conditions when required to and maintaining
a positive attitude while doing so.
From the seminal theoretical works of Organ, Katz, and others, the core concepts and effects of
OCB have been widely investigated and built upon by several researchers (Podsakoff, MacKenzie,
Paine & Bachrach, 2000; Hui, Lam & Law, 2000; Pavalache-Ilie, 2014; Campbell Pickford & Joy,
2016).
A number of variations on the dimensions of OCB followed Organ’s work, which are summarised in
the table below (Thiagarajan & Yabesh Abraham Durairaj, 2017).
Dimensions of OCB
Adapted from: (Thiagarajan & Yabesh Abraham Durairaj, 2017)

1 Smith, Organ & Near (1983) Altruism

General compliance

2 Organ (1988) Altruism

Conscientiousness
Sportsmanship
Courtesy
Civic virtue

3 Lin (1991) Identification with the organisation

Assistance to colleagues
Harmony
Righteous
Discipline
Self-improvement

4 Williams & Anderson (1991) Individual-directed OCB (OCBI)

Organisation-directed OCB (OCBO)

5 Van Dyne, Graham & Dienesh (1994) Obedience

Loyalty
Participation

6 Podsakoff et al. (2000) Helping behaviour

Sportsmanship
Organisational loyalty
Organisational compliance
Individual initiative
Civic virtue
Self-development

1.4 Counterproductive work behaviour

Counterproductive work behaviour (CWB) is a concept defined by Dalal as:

Professional behaviour 4
 ”Intentional employee behaviour that is harmful to the legitimate interests of an organization”
(Dalal, 2005, p1241).
CWBs can be seen as behaviours that work against the interests of the organisation, rather than
behaviours that further the goals of the organisation. Robinson and Bennett (1995; 2000)
proposed a typology of workplace deviance, in which CWBs fall under the dimensions of ‘minor’
versus ‘serious’, and ‘interpersonal’ versus ‘organisational’ (see figure below). Robinson and
Bennett’s typology proposed four types of deviance:
• Production deviance
• Property deviance
• Political deviance
• Personal aggression

Figure 1.1: Typology of workplace deviance

(Sharma & Sing, 2015)

While it would seem reasonable to assume that CWB is simply the opposite of OCB, work
completed by Dalal (2005) found that the two concepts share only a small negative correlation.
Therefore, the presence of one type of behaviour does not mean that the other type of behaviour
will be reduced. This would suggest that OCB and CWB should be viewed as two distinct types of
behaviour.

Exercise: Organisational citizenship self-assessment

To complete the self-assessment, read the statements along the left-hand side and circle your
response in relation to how much you agree with each statement (strongly agree, agree, disagree,
strongly disagree).
This self-assessment is for your own development only, so please be completely honest – it will
help identify which areas you perform well in already, and which behaviours you may want to
pay closer attention to.
Take your time to complete the table. You may want to consider whether you can evidence that
you display each behaviour consistently, with some examples of times when you have done this.

5 Professional behaviour
 Altruism
Altruism means volunteering to help colleagues when they need assistance.

I help others who have been absent or missed updates Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I help others who have heavy work loads Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I willingly help others who are struggling Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I am always ready to lend a helping hand to those around me Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

Courtesy
Courtesy refers to behaviours that reduce the likelihood of workplace conflict.

I take steps to try to prevent problems with colleagues Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

other people and their activities

I behave respectfully towards all colleagues Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I try to avoid creating problems for colleagues Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I consider the impact of my actions Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
on colleagues before I do things

Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness refers to delivering on the expectations of the company, even when nobody is watching.

My attendance is above average Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I make the most of my working time and get things done Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I obey the organisation’s rules and Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
regulations even when no is watching

When I do something, I try to do the best job I can Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

in exchange for the rewards I receive

Civic virtue
Civic virtue refers to having an interest and taking proactive steps to help the organisation perform and grow.

I attend functions that are not required, Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
but help the organisation to achieve

I keep up to date with changes in the organisation Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I make suggestions for how things can be improved Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I provide feedback when I am asked to Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I speak positively and share good news about the Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
organisations

Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship refers to enduring less than ideal conditions when required and maintaining a positive attitude while
doing so.

I try not to spend a lot of time complaining about trivial Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
matters

I always focus on the positive side, rather than what’s wrong Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

I do not blow things out of proportion; Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
I keep things in perspective

I always try to consider the reason why Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
the organisation makes the decisions it does

I avoid complaining to people when Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am unhappy about something

Adapted from: (Habeeb, 2019)

Professional behaviour 6
Next steps
Take some time to reflect on any behaviours that you marked as ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’.
What are the specific reasons that you selected this response? Use your reflective practice
experience to spend some time exploring any situations when you did not demonstrate these
behaviours.
What steps could you take to start to demonstrate this behaviour more? Do you know anybody
who does this well who you could use as a role model? Use these reflections to inform your
development plans.
For an additional perspective, learners are encouraged to ask colleagues to give anonymous
feedback on whether they believe you demonstrate these behaviours. This can inform your
development further.

Essential reading

BPP, 2019. Code of Business Ethics. [online] Available at: https://bppassets.s3-eu-west-

1.amazonaws.com/public/assets/pdf/brochures/BPP-Code-of-Business-Ethics.pdf [Date
accessed: 24 February 2023]
Read: full guide
Stuart-Kotze, R., 2006. Performance: The Secrets of Successful Behaviour. Dorchester, GB:
Pearson. Available via: https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/performance-the-
secrets/9780273707981/ (OpenAthens login required) [Date accessed: 24 February 2023]
Read:
• Chapter 5 - What is performance-blocking behaviour?
• Chapter 6 - What does performance-blocking behaviour look like?

7 Professional behaviour
References

Barnard, C.I., 1938. The Functions of the Executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Boyt, T., Lusch, R. and Naylor, G. 2001. The Role of Professionalism in Determining Job
Satisfaction in Professional Services: A Study of Marketing Researchers. Journal of Service
Research, 3, p321-330.
Campbell Pickford, H. and Joy, G. 2016. Organisational Citizenship Behaviours: Definitions and
Dimensions. Saïd Business School Briefing. [online] Available through:
http://eureka.sbs.ox.ac.uk/6265/1/2016-31.pdf [Date accessed: 24 February 2023]
CMI, 2018. Code of Conduct and Practice. [online] Available through:
https://www.managers.org.uk/~/media/Files/PolicesProcedures/CodeOfConduct/code-of-
conduct.pdf [Date accessed: 24 February 2023]
Dalal, R. S. 2005. A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Organizational Citizenship
Behaviour and Counterproductive Work Behaviour. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6), 1241-
1255.
Habeeb, S. 2019. A Proposed Instrument for Assessing Organizational Citizenship Behaviour in
BFSI Companies in India. Cogent Business and Management, 6(1).
Hui, C., Lam, S. and Law, K. 2000. Instrumental Values of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour for
Promotion: A Field Quasi-experiment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(5), p822-828.
ILM, 2020. Code of Conduct. [online] Available through: https://www.institutelm.com/code-of-
conduct.html [Date accessed: 24 February 2023]
Katz, D. 1964. The Motivational Basis of Organizational Behaviour. Behavioural Science, 9(2), p131-
146.
Lin, S. J., 1991. Relationship between Compensation Equity, Procedural Justice, Organizational
Commitment and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour. Doctoral dissertation, National Chengchi
University, Taiwan.
MacIntosh, N. 2020. 10 Ways to Be Professional at Work. [online] Available through:
https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/10-ways-to-be-professional-at-work-canada [Date
accessed: 24 February 2023]
Miller, K. 2020. Unprofessional Conduct in the Workplace. [online] Available through:
https://futureofworking.com/unprofessional-conduct-in-the-workplace/ [Date accessed: 24
February 2023]
Organ, D.W. 1988. Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: The Good Soldier Syndrome. Lexington,
MA: Lexington Books.
Pavalache-Ilie, M. 2014. Organizational Citizenship Behaviour, Work Satisfaction and Employees’
Personality. Social and Behavioural Sciences, 127, p489 – 493.
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Paine, J. B. and Bachrach, D. G., 2000. Organizational
Citizenship Behaviours: A Critical Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature and
Suggestions for Future Research. Journal of Management, 26(3), p513-563.
Robinson, S. and Bennett, R., 1995. A Typology of Deviant Workplace Behaviours: A
Multidimensional Scaling Study. Academy of Management Journal, 38, p555-572.
Robinson, S., and Bennett, R. 2000. Development of a Measure of Workplace Deviance’, Journal
of Applied Psychology, 85, p349-360.
Sharma, N. and Singh, V. 2015. Differential Association and Imitation as Moderators of Workplace
Deviance. Twelfth AIMS International Conference on Management papers, p2515-2520.
Smith, C. A., Organ, D. W. and Near, J. P. 1983. Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: Its Nature
and Antecedents. Journal of Applied Psychology, 68, p653-663.
Thiagarajan, T. and Yabesh Abraham Durairaj, I. 2017. Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: Its
Definitions and Dimensions. GE-International Journal of Management Research. 5(5), p46-55.

Professional behaviour 8
Van Dyne, L., Graham, J. W. and Dienesch, R. M. 1994. Organizational Citizenship Behaviour:
Construct Redefinition, Measurement, and Validation. Academy of Management Journal, 37,
p765-802.
Williams, L. J. and Anderson, S. E. 1991. Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment as
Predictors of Organizational Citizenship and In-role Behaviours. Journal of Management, 17, p601-
617.

9 Professional behaviour
Appendix 1 - Define your personal code of conduct

Complete this exercise to define your own code of conduct by outlining those behaviours that
demonstrate your personal values, and those behaviours which are in opposition to your personal
values.
In this activity we will follow a three-step approach:
Step 1 Define your three core values
Describe the three things that are most important to you in the way you live and work;
the things that you will never compromise on. List your three core values in a separate
box each in your personal code of conduct chart below.
Note. Tip: you may want to list all the things that are important to you (or access a list of
values available online), then rank these values in terms of their importance to you.
Consider the following questions to help you:
• What would I never sacrifice for money or personal gain?
• What about me will never change?
• What remains consistent about me even during difficult times?
Step 2 Describe the positive behavioural indicators of each value
Define the behaviours that demonstrate each value. List three behaviours for each value
along the left-hand side of your chart under the heading ‘Positive indicators’.
What does it look like in practice when you are demonstrating this value? Consider what
behaviours you are exhibiting when you are demonstrating this value – these are your
positive indicators.
Note. Tip: sometimes it can be easier to imagine what this behaviour does not look like
than what it does. You may find it easier to complete step 3 then come back to step 2.
Step 3 Describe the negative behavioural indicators of each value
Define the behaviours that are the opposite of those that demonstrate each value. List
three behaviours for each value along the right-hand side of your chart under the
heading ‘Negative indicators’. Consider what behaviours contradict this value; what this
value does not look like. These are your negative indicators.
Personal code of conduct chart

Value:

Positive indicators Negative indicators

Professional behaviour 10
Value:

Positive indicators Negative indicators

Value:

Positive indicators Negative indicators

11 Professional behaviour
Further study guidance

Further reading
Dealing with conflict appropriately is an essential part of professional behaviour; it is
recommended that learners consult further sources to understand how to resolve conflict while
maintaining professionalism.
A wealth of information can be found online to assist with this, including:
The Exceptional Skills, 2019. The Ultimate Guide to Conflict Resolution. [online] Available at:
https://www.theexceptionalskills.com/conflict-resolution-guide/ [Date accessed: 24 February
2023]
Further study is indicated to explore the codes of conduct of any professional bodies which may
be relevant to your field. An example of this would be the CMI Code, which is available at:
CMI. n.d. Code of conduct and practice. [online pdf] Available at:
https://www.managers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/code-of-conduct.pdf [Date
accessed: 24 February 2023]
Many large businesses also publish their values and professional behaviour standards on their
corporate websites. If you are interested in particular organisations, you may find it useful to
research these.

Professional behaviour 12