According to the 2012 study by the Center for Professional Excellence at York College, the Polk-Lepson Research Group surveyed 629 human resource and management professionals for their "Professionalism In The Workplace" study.
One-third of the HR and management professionals surveyed believe that professionalism has declined over the past three years. That which happens in the corporate world echoes in the yoga world: we are facing this same decline.
Is professionalism going extinct?
The three main indicators of professionalism are:
- Interpersonal skills (33.6%)
- Work ethic (27.3%)
- Communication skills (24.9%).
Making professionalism important in one’s teaching will help garner more respect and will elevate yoga’s respectability. Focusing on further developing interpersonal and communication skills makes a difference towards increased professionalism.
How to Elevate Your Yoga Teaching and Profession from Good to Great
- Be prepared—demonstrate competency by being organized and professional.
- Remain a student—practice yoga, take classes, workshops, and trainings.
- Create a safe, honest, and comfortable environment for students.
- Give gratitude to your teachers.
- Serve your students—your work is primarily about them. Maintain student confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries.
- Make yourself available—connect with students after class and return emails and phone calls in a timely manner.
- Keep it real—be a positive example of authenticity. Don’t just pretend to be a yoga teacher. Instead be yourself. Demonstrate what it means to live your yoga and never knowingly misrepresent professional qualifications or certifications.
- Remember, this is not a popularity contest—stop competing with fellow teachers and avoid the humble brag or other ways of comparison.
- Show up and be present—put aside your drama and tune in to those students in front of you.
- Get healthy, stay healthy—practice radical self-care and build a therapeutic support system outside your students. Your students are not your therapist.
Are you a yoga teacher? How many of these items do you already practice, and which ones do you find yourself struggling with? Share your thoughts with me below!
