Running Head: Chrzanowski Professional Philosophy

Chrzanowski: Professional Philosophy

Wayne State University
KHS 6410

Chrzanowski Professional Philosophy

Introduction
Whether for personal or professional reasons, it is important to truly know yourself and
establish a firm set of principles, values, and beliefs throughout ones life. Many times,
knowledge acquired through reading, observing speakers and other role models, and life events
help to establish those convictions. During the course of my life thus far, I have had a wide
variety of experiences that shape the person I am today. The way I approach other people,
situations, and anything else I may be confronted with are all affected by what I have learned
from my past. I take great pride in being a life-long learner, and this willingness to learn and
evolve will, in time, prove to be a strength of mine. I know, as I continue to add life experiences,
I will grow personally as well as professionally, and this growth will undoubtedly affect my
philosophy as a professional, which will also continue to evolve throughout my career.
Focus of Philosophy
I have always been a big believer in leading by example. I do my best to always display
appropriate behavior and I hope that my constituents as well as anyone that comes to know me
will recognize that. My conscious effort to constantly be a superior example for everyone that I
come into contact with will allow me to serve as a role model for only fellow professionals in the
field of athletics, but also young people that have aspirations of entering my profession.
Ethical Behavior
Abiding by highly ethical behavior is in the forefront of what I stand for and the perfect
example of how I have led by example. There are countless instances of individuals working in
the professional world and sports field that act in unethical ways. The ability to know ones
ethics, and abide by those ethics are two completely different things. I believe a solid foundation
of ethics is one of the most important things that someone can have. Throughout my life, I have

Chrzanowski Professional Philosophy

served in a variety of roles where I was knowingly a role model for young people. I have been a
teacher for five years. During that time as an educator, I have been aware of my role as a mentor
for my students. During the summers, I work for a childcare program where parents that work
can drop their kids off while they go do work. Especially while working with these elementary
school aged children, I recognize the position I am in to be a role model. The benefit of having a
great set of ethics is that as long as you are always abiding by them, you never have to worry
about who was watching you and your behavior. You never have to worry about who might find
out about decisions that you have made because you know that your actions consistently align
with your ethics and core beliefs.
Risk-Taking
One important aspect of business no matter what field you are in is a willingness to take
risks. Yes, with risk, you have a chance of failure, but you also have a chance to make
significant positive changes. I once read that leaders are learners. This means that it is alright
to make a mistake, as long as you are able to learn from your errors, and proceed in the future
with the knowledge of how and why your previous attempt was unsuccessful. When an
organization promotes an overall culture of risk-taking, the result will be more innovation and
creativity. This type of culture can be promoted by rewarding risks, and being understanding
when risk do result in a temporary failure.
Building Relationships
During a recent professional interview with a local high schools athletic director and
assistant principal, I learned a lot about the importance of developing quality relationships with
ones constituents. The main point that I took home was that taking the time to build and really
invest in high quality relationships can help exterminate conflicts before the minor issues grow

Chrzanowski Professional Philosophy

beyond ones control. This interview also resulted in my understanding that it is important for a
leader to help constituents develop both personally and professionally. This development helps
to cultivate strength in his relationships, thus easing the burden on the leader when confronted
with a conflict.
Developing Quality People
As a leader, I am committed to remaining positive and focusing on the growth of the
person, not just the athlete or the employee. My high school football coach was relentless in his
pursuit of developing his players into good men, rather than merely focusing on the development
of our catching, running, and blocking skills. This is exactly the attitude I would have as leader
within an organization.
I recently watched an interview about the University of Michigans new head coach, Jim
Harbaugh. During the interview, Coach Harbaugh proceeded to tell a story about his time
playing at Michigan for the legendary Coach Bo Schembechler. One day early in the fall, Coach
Harbaugh, who was at this point an upperclassman and the starting quarterback, entered Coach
Schembechlers office and asked what he thought about the teams potential for that season.
Coach Schembechler responded by saying that he did not know. Harbaugh was confused and
asked, What do you mean you dont know? You are the head coach and our season starts on
Saturday! Coach Schembechler responded by explaining they would have to wait 20 years to
find out. At that point, they would see what kind of men the team had developed into. Then and
only then could Coach Schembechler know what kind of team he has, by knowing the men they
become, how they behave as fathers, and how they treat their families.
Regardless of ones job, I view their constant role is as a mentor in developing quality
people that behave in respectful, ethical, and otherwise appropriate ways. Just like in Coach

Chrzanowski Professional Philosophy

Harbaughs story, no matter what happened throughout the season and no matter how successful
someone is during the course of their career, they have not proven themselves to be truly
successful unless they have influenced the people around them in positive ways.
Conclusion
Developing this professional philosophy has been a great exercise to allow me to be a
reflective individual and sort through my thoughts. The plethora of life experiences I have had
have helped to shape and establish a firm set of principles, values, and beliefs. Having these
thoughts in writing will allow me to revisit this statement and continue to make appropriate
changes as I continue along my path as a life-long learner.