Why your workplace needs more 'Gracious Professionalism'
As the leader of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a global youth STEM education community, I've seen firsthand the power of Gracious Professionalism. This ethos is about more than producing quality work: It's about valuing others—teammates, competitors, and the broader community—and showing respect at every turn. Gracious Professionalism empowers everyone, regardless of role or tenure, to lift others up and help create a culture rooted in acceptance and shared success.
While the term may sound gentle for the high-stakes world of science and technology, its influence is anything but passive. Gracious Professionalism demonstrates that even in a competitive corporate landscape, it is possible—and powerful—to lead with trust, respect, and a spirit of cooperation. Companies that embrace this mindset can gain a real edge in innovation, talent recruitment, and long-term success.
The origin of Gracious Professionalism
Gracious Professionalism was the vision of the late and much beloved Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, Woodie Flowers, PhD. He was also a distinguished advisor to FIRST and longtime collaborator and friend of Dean Kamen, FIRST's founder and a lifelong inventor. Woodie believed deeply in the power of blending competition with kindness. His philosophy emphasizes striving for excellence while valuing others and treating everyone—teammates, competitors, and community members—with respect.
Today, Woodie's legacy lives on through millions of FIRST participants and alumni. The mindset appears in small but powerful moments within our competitive youth robotics events, like when a team lends an opponent a spare part for a malfunctioning robot, or when a student pauses to encourage a teammate who is experiencing self-doubt. These everyday acts of support and empathy keep Woodie's profound vision very much alive.
From robotics to the real world
As demand grows for 'durable skills' like collaboration, resilience, and ethical leadership, Gracious Professionalism is more relevant than ever in the workplace.
Ruhi Lankalapalli first encountered Gracious Professionalism as a FIRST participant. Today, as a manufacturing engineer at Medtronic, she credits this ethos with shaping her approach to work and leadership.
'Gracious Professionalism has shaped how I work and lead—it has helped me build trust quickly, collaborate effectively, and stay focused on long-term success. I've taken on many projects, spanning several teams at Medtronic, and maintaining the values of Gracious Professionalism has been crucial to building strong partnerships and finding common ground,' she said. 'When I stepped into my current role in Medtronic, I was invited to join a major project within just two months. Though I was new to the position, I stood out because of how I collaborated with the team and embraced new challenges, which set me apart through the ways I support others and contribute to a stronger team culture.'
It shapes corporate culture
The impact of Gracious Professionalism extends beyond individual growth. It builds organizational cultures rooted in trust, teamwork, continuous learning, and ethical decision making. The result? Greater innovation, stronger employee engagement, and long-term business success.
Qualcomm, the global wireless technology company, is a longtime supporter of FIRST and has hired many program alumni who practice Gracious Professionalism in their everyday roles.
'Our employees who grew up participating in FIRST are known within Qualcomm for their ability to handle challenges with a positive attitude and a collaborative approach,' said Angela Baker, vice president, corporate responsibility, and chief sustainability officer at Qualcomm. 'Their ability to balance competition with respect and kindness is consistent with our value of 'winning together.' Their dedication to continuous improvement accelerates their own career growth while also contributing to our company's long-term innovation pipeline and their work ethic helps us deliver results.'
The impact of Gracious Professionalism
Gracious Professionalism is not just about being kind: It is a strategic advantage. Employees who practice this ethos develop essential skills like collaboration, empathy, and creative problem-solving, making them invaluable contributors and culture-builders. In a world where agility and integrity are essential for businesses' success, Gracious Professionalism proves that the most powerful path forward is one built on respect, excellence, and a collective drive to grow—together.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Intel's chip contracting plan in spotlight on earnings day
By Arsheeya Bajwa (Reuters) -Faced with slumping quarterly sales and a burgeoning loss, Intel shareholders will want to know new CEO Lip Bu-Tan's plans for the chipmaker's nascent contract manufacturing business. Intel is set to report its sixth consecutive net loss on Thursday, while revenue is expected to drop for a fifth straight quarter, according to estimates from LSEG data. The storied chipmaker, once synonymous with America's chipmaking heft, has lagged due to years of strategic missteps. Rival Nvidia has leaped ahead in the booming artificial intelligence chip industry, while rival AMD has been gaining share in Intel's mainstay personal computer and server semiconductor markets. CEO Tan has been focusing on a next-generation chipmaking process called 14A to win big external customers, shifting away from 18A, a technology that his predecessor Pat Gelsinger had spent billions of dollars to develop. Such a move could lead to a big writedown, an expense that would surely displease investors even as Intel has signaled that the new technology will help it be more competitive against Taiwan's TSMC, the world's biggest chipmaking factory. Longer-term commentary on the company's plans for the 14A technology "will hold more weight this earnings call than anything else", Stifel analysts wrote ahead of the earnings. Intel is expected to report a net loss of about $1.25 billion for the April-June quarter, while its sales are expected to drop more than 7% to $11.92 billion. Last year was Intel's first unprofitable year since 1986. Writedowns could amount to hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars, according to analysts, and might impact the timeline for the foundry to break even. Intel's finance boss David Zinsner said in May he expected the unit to break even in 2027 and that would require external customers to generate low- to mid-single-digit billions in revenue. Intel's foundry unit is expected to generate $4.49 billion in sales in the second quarter, though a majority of this would come from chips Intel produces for itself, analysts said. STREAMLINING Since taking over as CEO in March, Tan has focused on shedding non-core assets. In April, Intel agreed to sell a 51% stake in its Altera programmable chip business for $4.46 billion. The company has also considered divesting its network and edge businesses as well. Intel's stock has risen 16% so far this year, compared with a 13.23% rise in the broader chip index. Investors will watch if Tan sells more assets, further flattens out the management structure, or expands the global layoffs the company announced last year. Intel, as with other chipmakers, is facing customers who are dragging their feet on their spending, due to uncertainty from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. Revenue at Intel's personal computer unit is expected to dip some 2% to $7.25 billion in the second quarter after customers pulled forward orders to the first three months of the year due to the threat of tariffs. Analog chipmaker Texas Instrument flagged similar troubles on Tuesday, sending its shares down 11% after hours. Chip-equipment maker ASML and TSMC have also warned tariff-related uncertainty has muddied the outlook for them. Revenue in Intel's data center unit, however, is expected to jump about 20% to $3.66 billion, signaling improving demand for traditional server chips after several quarters of poor sales. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The protein boom is only beginning: Morning Brief
They're cramming it into everything now. It's in pancakes and pasta, chips and cereal. Plant-based or harvested from the farm, it's the macro(nutrient) of the moment. And slices of corporate America are not so subtly asking: Have you met your protein goal today? Protein Doritos sounds like the ideal mashup for the gym rat snack fiends of the world. But it's not as farfetched a product as you might think. Pepsi (PEP) plans to unveil new protein offerings for some of its Frito-Lay and Quaker brands, part of a broader shift to enhance their products and strip away artificial flavors and colors. (But what is a tasty Cheeto if not a brazenly synthetic delight?) Pepsi's intended relaunch and extension of popular brands is a reaction to a consumer base on the hunt for healthier, cleaner options. Executives across the food and beverage world see a potential crisis unfolding. As demand for legacy products wavers, companies are reaching for new lines (like fiber, prebiotics, hydration, energy, and protein) to support the core business. Sign up for the Yahoo Finance Morning Brief By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy "Protein is clearly a subsegment in our food and beverages categories that is growing fast," said PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta on an earnings call last week. "Consumers are adopting protein solutions in the diet at a pace that was not the case a few months back, a few years back." Coca-Cola (KO), which reported on Tuesday, is undergoing its own notable evolution. Earlier this year, the company came out with a prebiotic soda brand, Simply Pop, an answer to the initial success of soda alternatives like Olipop and Poppi. Coca-Cola's Fairlife line of lactose-free, ultra-filtered milk and protein shakes (a fitness influencer staple) is touting double-digit volume growth. Coke CFO John Murphy told my colleague Brooke DiPalma that protein is another representation of consumers looking for products that help them in their daily lives, have fewer calories, or are perceived as healthier. Coca-Cola also confirmed it'll offer a Coke variant sweetened with US cane sugar this fall. A confluence of factors has amped up the recommendations and ability to up your protein intake. Strength training is having a moment, in a sort of vindication of gym bro fitness culture but also an expansion and reimagining of it. More young people, older people, and women are skipping (or supplementing) the treadmill and stationary bike and heading to the weight rack. Big, commercial gyms are swapping out cardio machines to make space for pumping iron. Planet Fitness (PLNT) announced plans at the start of the year to install new plate-loaded strength equipment — like bench presses and hack squats — into all of its more than 2,700 clubs by the end of 2025. Logically, protein follows to help realize the gains. Social media reflects and amplifies these trends. Popular influencers, like some of their Hollywood counterparts, are sporting more muscular physiques: wider backs, denser arms, and thicker legs. And they're touting the advantages of higher protein consumption as a method to change the way people look and feel. You have to eat more protein, they proclaim, to grow a dump truck. The opposite is true too: You generally need to actually train to put protein to work — and we may all be going overboard. Otherwise, you're just eating protein aspirationally. The explosion of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs from Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) is another reason why consumers are seeing more protein-enriched foods on grocery aisles. As appetite-suppressed Ozempic and Wegovy users eat less and drop pounds, it isn't just body fat they're shedding. People in a calorie deficit generally lose fat and muscle, so healthcare providers advise patients to eat more protein to help preserve their muscle mass. And as a diet trend, the pro-protein movement is also just that, "pro" something, instead of the carb villainization of Atkins of the 2000s or low-fat of the 90s and before. For food and snack companies, it's an opportunity to capitalize on that turbocharged demand by providing something that's acceptable to eat, tackling health through consumption instead of austerity. So far, the market is gobbling it up. Hamza Shaban is a reporter for Yahoo Finance covering markets and the economy. Follow Hamza on X @hshaban. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Taiwan says trade delegation in Washington for talks on potential tariff and trade deal
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan's government said on Wednesday that a trade delegation led by the vice premier was in Washington, D.C., for a new round of in-person negotiations with U.S. officials this week. U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed imposing tariffs of as much as 32% on Taiwan. No new tariffs have yet been announced for the democratically-governed island, although the 90-day pause on worldwide tariffs Trump proposed in April has already expired. The delegation, led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun, seeks to safeguard Taiwan's industrial interests, public health, and food security, according to a cabinet statement. The talks aim to promote balanced trade, and improve the overall economic and trade framework between the two sides, it added. "The team will continue working under the principles of protecting Taiwan's industries and public welfare,' the statement said. 'We hope to optimise the trade system and lay the groundwork for a stronger partnership in the future.' The Taiwan talks come as trade negotiations in the region accelerate. On Wednesday, the United States and Japan announced a trade agreement that includes a 15% U.S. import tariff on all Japanese goods, lower than the 25% Washington had proposed previously. The Japan deal is seen as one of the most significant among several agreements reached ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline the White House set after the original 90-day deadline expired with only a few successfully negotiated agreements. Taiwan has been seeking to strengthen its trade ties with major partners, particularly the U.S., Taiwan's second-largest trading partner after China, amid growing geopolitical and economic challenges. The outcome of the negotiations could play a key role in shaping the island's future trade strategy and its position in the global supply chain, and is crucial to Taiwan's export-driven economy.
