I'm not a very comfortable flyer. I do it regularly, and I've gotten used to it, but I'm a bit scared when the plane appears to be anything other than a slow elevator to me. I'm not quite sure how I'd react if I were on a small plane and experienced what this author did above Washington State.

The piece is really about being professional, and the way the pilot reacted in that story certainly wasn't the professional image most of us want from their pilots. A few might like that, just as a few might accept most behaviors, but the majority expect something else.

In the article, there are seventeen habits that can make you look more professional in the piece I linked, and for the most part I really think these are the types of traits and images that a professional wants to project. Whether you're a CEO or a developer, having confidence and candor are as important as realism and caring. We all expect professionals to follow through on commitments and be diligent in their work.

The only item I might disagree with is fitness. Perhaps that's more important in some areas than others, but I have found many people that are highly professional, competent, dependable, and worth every penny that I pay them, but not very healthy. Some might be unhealthy to the point I'd be concerned for their long term prospects, but that wouldn't mean they aren't good professionals in the short term.