Excellence in Professionalism: Humanistic Perspectives

Abstract

Professionalism implies a well-thought-out way of work. It is the aspiration of many people to be able to do their work well and to excel while carrying out the tasks it entails. In hospitality, professionalism is ennobled by the reality of a direct service to other humans of equal dignity. Work can make us more humane, and work that involves the care of persons can be an occasion for growth in the capacity to care and to creatively generate solutions that make life more pleasant for others. In the process of learning technical skills, the hospitality professional also finds occasions for personal growth and development. Such instances are opportunities that aim for excellence, a term that also connotes virtue. The write-up introduces the main aspects of development within and outside the individual originating from their work. It presents a framework for professionalism with a humanistic touch, explores the concepts of education on skills and in character, and introduces other important topics that are explored further in the following chapters.