Amazonia: Park it, fool

For Wednesday, 01 April 2015

Tomorrow morning we are going to meet in the Park.

We are going to do some stretching, some shuttles, some intervals and some jogging.

Bring a water, let's have some fun.

Play PAC MAN on the Streets of Arlington Right Now!

GOOGLE Maps is doing something pretty cool for April Fools Day:

Follow this link:

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3629487,-97.1363795,16z    to play the iconic game on the streets of Arlington.

Click on the Black Box in the lower left hand corner.

There is PAC chomping down Birch Street towards Main.

#Aprilfools

Challenged by Choice

Uploaded on Jul 5, 2011
After decades as a nationally competitive marathoner, Sanford Health exercise physiologist Mike Dunlap transitioned his competitive spirit to cycling. After years of competing in ultra (400+ mile) cycling events, he decided to challenge himself. In 2010, he entered the grueling 3,000 mile Race Across America (RAAM), which has been called "the toughest bike race in the world." He did not finish the race. In 2011, he has entered the 860 mile Race Across the West (RAW). He plans to try the Race Across America again in 2012.

About TEDx

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.

https://youtu.be/ZVamovhbrfs?list=PL0E8C39EDBBC8E1F8

“It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal.

 The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.

 

It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, 

but it is a calamity not to dream.

 

It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, 

but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture.

 It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, 

but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. 

Not failure, but low aim is sin.”


― Benjamin Elijah Mays

Amazonia: Walk in the park.

TABATA Tuesday 31st March

Tabata: 8x20/10 secs

1. Triceps curls, 8#-15#s

2. Dips

8 mins

I just ran the park and verified; one lap is exactly .51 miles...so 10 laps is 10000 steps.

Start at the swing set on the west end. 10 laps.

Walk, run, walk, run, run, walk, run, run, walk, run. Cool down, walk home.

Kick some butt. Bring your dog.

What is Leadership?

http://youtu.be/XixkUiRy1Fg

The word "leadership" can bring to mind a variety of images. For example:Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right.– Professor Warren G. Bennis

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.– Dwight D. Eisenhower

• A political leader, pursuing a passionate, personal cause.
• An explorer, cutting a path through the jungle for the rest of his group to follow.
• An executive, developing her company's strategy to beat the competition.

Leaders help themselves and others to do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring vision, and create something new. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to "win" as a team or an organization; and it is dynamic, exciting, and inspiring. 

Yet, while leaders set the direction, they must also use management skills to guide their people to the right destination, in a smooth and efficient way.

In this article, we'll focus on the process of leadership. In particular, we'll discuss the "transformational leadership" model, first proposed by James MacGregor Burns and then developed by Bernard Bass. This model highlights visionary thinking and bringing about change, instead of management processes that are designed to maintain and steadily improve current performance.

Note:

Leadership means different things to different people around the world, and different things in different situations. For example, it could relate to community leadership, religious leadership, political leadership, and leadership of campaigning groups.

This article focuses on the Western model of individual leadership, and discusses leadership in the workplace rather than in other areas.

Leadership: A Definition

According to the idea of transformational leadership  , an effective leader is a person who does the following:

1. Creates an inspiring vision of the future.
2. Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision.
3. Manages delivery of the vision.
4. Coaches and builds a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision.

Leadership brings together the skills needed to do these things. We'll look at each element in more detail.

1. Creating an Inspiring Vision of the Future

In business, a vision is a realistic, convincing and attractive depiction of where you want to be in the future. Vision provides direction, sets priorities, and provides a marker, so that you can tell that you've achieved what you wanted to achieve.

To create a vision, leaders focus on an organization's strengths by using tools such as Porter's Five Forces  , PEST Analysis  , USP Analysis  , Core Competence Analysis   and SWOT Analysis   to analyze their current situation. They think about how their industry is likely to evolve, and how their competitors are likely to behave. They look at how they can innovate successfully  , and shape their businesses and their strategies to succeed in future marketplaces. And they test their visions with appropriate market research, and by assessing key risks using techniques such as Scenario Analysis  .

Therefore, leadership is proactive – problem solving, looking ahead, and not being satisfied with things as they are.

Once they have developed their visions, leaders must make them compelling and convincing. A compelling vision   is one that people can see, feel, understand, and embrace. Effective leaders provide a rich picture of what the future will look like when their visions have been realized. They tell inspiring stories  , and explain their visions in ways that everyone can relate to.

Here, leadership combines the analytical side of vision creation with the passion of shared values, creating something really meaningful to the people being led.

2. Motivating and Inspiring People

A compelling vision provides the foundation for leadership. But it's leaders' ability to motivate and inspire people that helps them deliver that vision.

For example, when you start a new project, you will probably have lots of enthusiasm for it, so it's often easy to win support for the project at the beginning. However, it can be difficult to find ways to keep your vision inspiring after the initial enthusiasm fades, especially if the team or organization needs to make significant changes in the way that they do things. Leaders recognize this, and they work hard throughout the project to connect their vision with people's individual needs, goals, and aspirations.

One of the key ways they do this is through Expectancy Theory  . Effective leaders link together two different expectations:

1. The expectation that hard work leads to good results.
2. The expectation that good results lead to attractive rewards or incentives.

This motivates people to work hard to achieve success, because they expect to enjoy rewards – both intrinsic and extrinsic – as a result.

Other approaches include restating the vision in terms of the benefits it will bring to the team's customers, and taking frequent opportunities to communicate the vision in an attractive and engaging way.

What's particularly helpful here is where leaders have expert power  . People admire and believe in these leaders because they are expert in what they do. They have credibility, and they've earned the right to ask people to listen to them and follow them. This makes it much easier for these leaders to motivate and inspire the people they lead.

Leaders can also motivate and influence people through their natural charisma and appeal, and through other sources of power  , such as the power to pay bonuses or assign tasks to people. However, good leaders don't rely too much on these types of power to motivate and inspire others.

3. Managing Delivery of the Vision

This is the area of leadership that relates to management  . According to theHersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Model  , there is a time to tell, a time to sell, a time to participate, and a time to delegate. Knowing which approach you need to use, and when you need it, is key to effective leadership.

Leaders must ensure that the work needed to deliver the vision is properly managed – either by themselves, or by a dedicated manager or team of managers to whom the leader delegates this responsibility – and they need to ensure that their vision is delivered successfully.

To do this, team members need performance goals that are linked to the team's overall vision. Our article on Performance Management and KPIs   (Key Performance Indicators) explains one way of doing this, and our Project Management section explains another. And, for day-to-day management of delivering the vision, the Management By Wandering Around   (MBWA) approach helps to ensure that what should happen, really happens.

Leaders also need to make sure they manage change   effectively. This helps to ensure that the changes needed to deliver the vision are implemented smoothly and thoroughly, with the support and backing of the people affected.

4. Coaching and Building a Team to Achieve the Vision

Individual and team development are important activities carried out by transformational leaders. To develop a team, leaders must first understand team dynamics. Several well-established and popular models describe this, such asBelbin's Team Roles   approach, and Bruce Tuckman's Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing theory  .

A leader will then ensure that team members have the necessary skills and abilities to do their job and achieve the vision. They do this by giving and receiving
feedback   regularly, and by training and coaching   people to improve individual and team performance.

Leadership also includes looking for leadership potential   in others. By developing leadership skills within your team, you create an environment where you can continue success in the long term. And that's a true measure of great leadership.

Note:

The words "leader" and "leadership" are often used incorrectly to describe people who are actually managing. These individuals may be highly skilled, good at their jobs, and valuable to their organizations – but that just makes them excellent managers, not leaders.

So, be careful how you use the terms, and don't assume that people with "leader" in their job titles, people who describe themselves as "leaders," or even groups called "leadership teams," are actually creating and delivering transformational change.

A particular danger in these situations is that people or organizations that are being managed by such an individual or group think they're being led; but they're not. There may actually be no leadership at all, with no one setting a vision and no one being inspired. This can cause serious problems in the long term.

Key Points

Leadership can be hard to define and it means different things to different people.

In the transformational leadership model, leaders set direction and help themselves and others to do the right thing to move forward. To do this they create an inspiring vision, and then motivate and inspire others to reach that vision. They also manage delivery of the vision, either directly or indirectly, and build and coach their teams to make them ever stronger.

Effective leadership is about all of this – and it's exciting to be part of this journey!

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_41.htm?utm_source=nl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24Feb15#np

Amazonia: Rowbo Cop

For Monday 30th March

Warm up: 1/2 mile jog, 2 mile bike

2 rounds 8 sets strength training:

42 reps each, low weight - split between arms if appropriate.

1.  400m row
2. Seated row
3. Dumbbell crossrow
4. Standing upright row
5. Cable column cross
6. The rower
7. Russian twist, weighted
8. Prone row

Approx 42 mins

Amazonia: 34 min tabata

For Saturday 28th, 2015

Body Weight Training

Here are three interesting Body Weight Exercise routines, the second is a full program.

http://www.globalbodyweighttraining.com/climbing-and-swinging/



Stop going to the gym.

You have my permission. If anyone questions you, tell them it was my idea.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait right there. I said you didn’t have to go to the gym. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to exercise. That’s crazy talk. You want to be healthy and happy, right?

Well you’re going to have to work at it. Thankfully, you can save time and money by ditching the gym. Workout at home instead. Use this free six week bodyweight training plan. It’s your guide to a better body, in less time, without any equipment. http://thehybridathlete.com/bodyweight-training-plan/

Check out #RealRudyReyes favorite body weight moves:

https://youtu.be/WG2N0WKmquE

Amazonia: 52 Pick Up

For Friday the 27th.

Diamonds are: Windshield Wipers (Thanks Sue) 3 count exercise

https://youtu.be/X59_4RrU_aA

Clubs are: Dive-bomber Push-ups

https://youtu.be/neiHSQrS0YI

Hearts are: Mountain Climbers
Spades are: Jump Squats
Aces are: 3x7 reps of pickers choice.
Jokers are: 14 Burpees.

We will have a deck of 52 in a bag to draw from:

The suit you pick determines the exercise.

The numerical value determines the reps. You will do 3 sets of the reps indicated. Back to back to back.

For example: If you draw a 2 of clubs you will do 6 Dive-bombers (2+2+2) and if you draw a King of diamonds you will do 39 Windshield Wipers (13+13+13).

Jokers and aces are the exception. Jokers = Burpees. Aces are picker's choice, any exercise they can imagine x 21 (7+7+7).

Everyone picks in turn. 30 mins or deck.

Core: Crunch-less Abs (Good for steps)

https://youtu.be/aKFVZu_4Lq4

#Heroes: Bob and Bill

#Hero Tenet five: Champion.

Champion is a Verb not a noun. 

It means take action on something that matters, 
really matters.

nga.gov

Robert Gould Shaw and William Harvey Carney Two men drawn of the most disparate beginnings, brought together in greatness, championing the cause of human liberty. Robert was the son of well-to-do Boston abolitionists and William was born a slave in Virginia. Robert attended Harvard. William was a passenger on the Underground Railroad. Both men joined the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Robert was a Colonel,  William a Sergeant. Following the bloody Battle of Antietam Robert Shaw was offered the Commission of Colonel in command of the 54th Massachusetts. A great honor to history, but a great burden of the time. Even to the son of an abolitionist, there was a deep stigma attached to commanding colored troops. William Carney enlisted in the 54th during 1863 despite the Confederate States public declaration that any colored troops taken prisoner would be immediately executed.  In July of 1863 both men would take part in the assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina.  The 54th led three infantry regiments in the assault, William and Robert led the 54th. Their story was captured in the 1989 Oscar winning film Glory: Robert died upon the ramparts.  William carried the Colours - the Flag - despite horrendous fire and violence. Even as the 54th broke contact with the confederate force he maintained the Colours safely back to Union lines.  William was permanently wounded. He became the first African American to earn the Medal of Honor.  "Boys, I only did my duty; the old flag never touched the ground!"

national archives

Both Men were Champions, giving their all in service to a cause greater than themselves.

My Hero

Benjamin Brawley

(To Robert Gould Shaw)

FLUSHED with the hope of high desire,

He buckled on his sword,

To dare the rampart ranged with fire,

Or where the thunder roared;

Into the smoke and flame he went, 5

For God’s great cause to die—

A youth of heaven’s element,

The flower of chivalry.

This was the gallant faith, I trow,

Of which the sages tell; 10

On such devotion long ago

The benediction fell;

And never nobler martyr burned,

Or braver hero died,

Than he who worldly honor spurned 15

To serve the Crucified.

And Lancelot and Sir Bedivere

May pass beyond the pale,

And wander over moor and mere

To find the Holy Grail; 20

But ever yet the prize forsooth

My hero holds in fee;

And he is Blameless Knight in truth,

And Galahad to me.

Writing a Thank You Note

communicatebetterblog.com


By Ali Hale
Writing a Business Thank you Note

Thank you notes are mandatory and expected in some situations. A recent survey by CareerBuilder.com found that:

• Nearly 15 percent of hiring managers would reject a job candidate who neglected to send a thank you letter after the interview
• 32 percent said they would still consider the thankless prospect but that their opinion of him or her would diminish

– advice from Write Express

As you can see, after a job interview, a thank you note may be a must. (This will depend on your career area and the business etiquette in your country.) And in any business situation, it never hurts to send a polite letter, whether or not you think it’s absolutely required.

A business thank you letter is somewhat different to the sort you send to your Grandma in gratitude for your Christmas slippers. Your business letter should:
Be typed, ideally on letter-headed paper. (Handwritten or emailed letters are okay if you know the recipient will prefer this.)
Be sent promptly (within 24 hours of an interview, for instance).
Be friendly but also professional. It would be very inappropriate to end a business thank you with “love from”.

Structuring a Business Thank You Note

As with the personal thank you note, there’s an easy formula to follow.
Set your letter out as a proper business letter, using letter headed paper and including your address, the recipient’s address, and the date. (You can find instructions on US business letter format and UK business letter format here on Daily Writing Tips.)
Address the recipient as “Dear [name],” erring on the side of caution regarding formality. (“Mr Jones” or “Dr Smith” rather than “Bob”).
Start by thanking them for the interview, pay rise, promotion, event, or other occasion that you’re writing about.
Go on to mention something specific about how it has helped you, or how you enjoyed the event. Be sincere, and make it clear how much you appreciate their time and effort.
You may want to mention the next occasion on which you hope to see them – though try not to be presumptuous. If you’re writing a thank you note for an initial interview, don’t act as though you’ve already been given the job!
End with “Yours sincerely” when writing to someone you don’t know well (an interviewer or acquaintance from another company). If you’re writing to your boss or manager, “Best wishes” or “Many thanks” might be an appropriate way to close your letter.

Example of a Business Thank You Note

There are some good examples at Business Thank You Note Samples, including this one:

Dear [City officials names],
We’d like to express our gratitude for the school administrators’ luncheon last week. The luncheon itself was very well done and enjoyed by all, but of course it’s the sentiment behind the gathering that means the most. The city’s renewed united commitment is a boost to the administration’s morale and a vote of confidence in the school’s future. For that, we thank you .
Best wishes,

As with a personal note, a business thank you letter needn’t be long. Indeed, since the recipient is likely to be busy, you should try to be concise and stick to the point. And make sure you double and triple proofread your letter – especially if it’s one you’ve sent after an interview, in the hopes of being hired. Early impressions really do count for a lot.




Read the full Article at: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/writing-a-thank-you-note/

Amazonia: TABATA Tuesday...Step it up

For Wednesday 25th of March

Open with sprints: 1 min each elliptical, bike, tread. Max effort, 4 rounds.12 min.

This one is designed to help with Sue's 10,000 step challenge:

Remember, TABATA is 8 rounds of 20 secs on and 10 secs off per exercise.

1. High Knees (4 mins)
2. Mountain Climbers (4 mins)
<1 min break>
3. Ski jumpers (4 mins)
http://media1.onsugar.com/files/2014/05
4. Squat High Knee (4 mins)
www.hurtsgood.com

Cool down: Team row, 800m per warrior, 200 at a time.

Core: Standing Abs

https://youtu.be/08Bi8hMd

Andy Traub at TEDxSiouxFalls

https://youtu.be/uTqrwDhcH4Y

Published on Mar 17, 2014


Andy Traub is a creator. Whether it's a podcast, book, blog post or speech, his message is the same. You must take permission if you want to live a great life, create great art, and positively impact the world. From his small town in South Dakota Andy has been able to reach the world with his messages thanks to hundreds of thousands of downloads of his podcasts and thousands of books sold. In early 2013 Andy self-published his first book The Early To Rise Experience: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.

Amazonia: Please, don't get up

For Monday, 23rd March 2015

All exercises are from the Prone, Plank or seated position.

This is a muscle failure exercise, all exercises are done with dumbbells

pick a dumbbell with a weight that will burn your muscle out after 2 rounds.

1. Prone Row. x21 each side

www.muscleandfitnesshers.com

2. Mountain Climbers. x21

3. Plank/Plio Push-up x60 secs

4. Preacher crunches x21

www.fitbie.com

Hold the dumbbell to your chest as you crunch downwards, flex your shoulders at the top of the rep.

5. Crunches x21

6. V-Up's x21

7. Left Side Plank x60 secs

8. Sitting Lat Raises x7

9. Sitting Triceps Curl x21

10. Russian Twists x21 

imgarcade.com

11. Right Side Plank x60 secs

Two rounds, short water break in between. If you are not smoked by the end of two rounds bring your weight up.

https://youtu.be/VBlQPLJfppk

SBA Hosts Online Events for Women Entrepreneurs

mcma-sf.org

By Erin Andrew, SBA Official
Published: March 16, 2015 Updated: March 16, 2015


In celebration of Women’s History Month, the U.S. Small Business Administration is hosting a series of online events that highlight women in business. If you are a woman entrepreneur, we invite you to join the conversation with one of the following online events. Each is free and open to the public:

Webinar on “How to Take Your Woman-Owned Small Business Global” - March 26, 2-3 pm ET. Learn how the SBA’s export loan programs can help to take your small business global. Sign up now.

Webinar on How Women Entrepreneurs Can Get the Funding They Need to Grow{cosponsored with Fundera} - March 31, 3-4 pm ET. Learn about the funding options available to women business owners and how to prepare a successful loan application.Sign up now.

Starting a business takes motivation, desire and talent. It also takes good planning and preparation. With more than 7.8 million women-owned businesses in the United States, the SBA is here to help at every stage of a business’ cycle and growth. Our online events can help women entrepreneurs overcome the barriers to business ownership and provide the tools and resources needed for growth.

Test your business readiness. The SBA’s Small Business Learning Center has a full listing of self-paced online courses to help with your business needs including starting a business, financing, accounting, marketing, taking your business global, preparing a loan package and much more.

Professionalism

Developing This Vital Characteristic

Are you a professional, all the time?

© iStockphoto/Neustockimages

You know that it's essential to be professional if you want to be a success. But what does "being professional" actually mean?

For some, being professional might mean dressing smartly at work, or doing a good job. For others, being professional means having advanced degrees or other certifications, framed and hung on the office wall. Professionalism encompasses all of these definitions. But, it also covers much more.

So, what is professionalism, and why does it matter? And how can you be completely professional in your day-to-day role? In this article we'll explore all of these questions, so that you can present a really professional image in the workplace

Defining Professionalism

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as "the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person"; and it defines a profession as "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation."

These definitions imply that professionalism encompasses a number of different attributes, and, together, these attributes identify and define a professional.

So, what are these attributes?

Specialized Knowledge

First and foremost, professionals are known for their specialized knowledge. They've made a deep personal commitment to develop and improve their skills, and, where appropriate, they have the degrees and certifications that serve as the foundation of this knowledge.

Not all business areas have a stable core of knowledge (and the academic qualifications that go with this); not all areas demand extensive knowledge to practice successfully; and not all professionals have top degrees in their field.

What matters, though, is that these professionals have worked in a serious, thoughtful and sustained way to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their fields; and that they keep this knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible.

Competency

Professionals get the job done. They're reliable, and they keep their promises. If circumstances arise that prevent them from delivering on their promises, they manage expectations up front, and they do their best to make the situation right.

Professionals don't make excuses, but focus on finding solutions.

Honesty and Integrity

Professionals exhibit qualities such as honesty and integrity  . They keep their word, and they can be trusted implicitly because of this. They never compromise theirvalues  , and will do the right thing, even when it means taking a harder road.

More than this, true professionals are humble   – if a project or job falls outside their scope of expertise, they're not afraid to admit this. They immediately ask for help when they need it, and they're willing to learn from others.

Accountability

Professionals hold themselves accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions, especially when they've made a mistake. This personal accountability is closely tied to honesty and integrity, and it's a vital element in professionalism.

Self-Regulation

They also stay professional under pressure.

For instance, imagine a customer service employee who's faced with an irate customer. Instead of getting upset or angry in return, the employee exhibits true professionalism by maintaining a calm, business-like demeanor, and by doing everything that she can to make the situation right.

Genuine professionals show respect for the people around them, no matter what their role or situation. They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence   (EI) by considering the emotions and needs of others, and they don't let a bad day impact how they interact with colleagues or clients.

Image

Professionals look the part – they don't show up to work sloppily dressed, with unkempt hair. They're polished, and they dress appropriately for the situation. Because of this, they exude an air of confidence, and they gain respect for this.

How to Exhibit Professionalism

As you can see from these characteristics, professionals are the kind of people that others respect and value. They are a genuine credit to their organizations!

This is why it's so important that we work to earn a professional reputation in the workplace. True professionals are the first to be considered for promotions, they are awarded valuable projects or clients, and they are routinely successful in their careers.

Now that you have a clear view of what constitutes professionalism, are you demonstrating these characteristics to the people around you? It's likely you're already showing some characteristics, but you may find yourself lacking in others: to build your own professionalism, focus on improving each of these characteristics. (Focus on one at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed.)

Additionally, here are some further strategies that will help you be more professional in the workplace:

Build Expertise

Don't let your knowledge and skills get outdated. Make a commitment to build expertise   and stay up-to-date with your industry  .

Tip:

Take our Bite-Sized training session on Building Expert Power to find out how to build and maintain your own expert power.

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence

Professionals can sense the emotional needs of others. They're able to give clients and coworkers what they need, because they know how to listen actively   and observe what's happening.

So, if you want to improve your professionalism, focus on developing emotional intelligence  .

Honor Your Commitments

Whenever you make a promise to your boss, colleagues, or clients, keep it. If it looks as if you won't be able to meet a deadline, let your boss, team or client know as soon as sensibly possible. However, do what you can to avoid ending up in this situation!

Don't make excuses – instead, focus on meeting expectations as best you can, and on making the situation right.

Be Polite

Be kind and polite and use good manners to everyone you come into contact with, no matter what their role is, and no matter how you're feeling. This might sound unimportant, but it makes a significant impact.

Have the Tools You Need

Do you show up to a client meeting lacking important samples? Or arrive at work, only to realize that you left a vital file at home? Or do you find yourself operating in situations where you don't have the skills needed to do a good job?

True professionals are always prepared. This requires advance planning, timeliness, and attention. Focus on improving your time management and planning skills  , so that you're always in control.

Note:

Although professionalism means keeping commitments, doing high quality work, and having expert status, occasionally the pursuit of these attributes might tempt you not to volunteer for projects that fall outside your "comfort zone."

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you shouldn't try! Analyze risks  beforehand to minimize the consequences of getting things wrong, be honest about any skills gaps that you have, and work to fill them. Then do the best you possibly can!

Key Points

Professionalism is a trait that's highly valued in the workforce. It has many attributes, including:

1. Specialized knowledge.
2. Competency.
3. Honesty and integrity.
4. Respect.
5. Accountability.
6. Self-regulation.
7. Image.

To improve your own professionalism, focus on improving in each of these areas.

You can also exude professionalism by being kind and polite to everyone, presenting a professional image in your attitude and dress, and showing up for work or meetings fully prepared.

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/professionalism.htm?utm_source=nl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=17Mar15#np