The John Griff Column: Are all professionals professional? Some amateurs can be just as well

The distinction between Amateur and Professional is, on the face of it, very simply defined. The Amateur carries out some kind of performance of skill but doesn’t get paid for it - the Professional carries out some kind of performance of skill and does. So far, so good. But then the waters get somewhat muddied because it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it. But more of that later.

As a small boy my parents discovered I had a singing voice – it ultimately took me to a Cambridge University choir school and on to the life that I have enjoyed since. That choir school existence was fundamental in my development. As an only child I learned resilience during separation from my parents, how to make new friends or tolerate people (adult or child) that I didn’t particularly like, as well as the school lessons of the day and the rigours of a very prescribed, ordered life. From time to time – usually during what would have otherwise been school holidays – my chorister colleagues and I would be required to stay behind at school to record new albums, perform for the TV cameras or perhaps go on tour. Once that was done, we could rejoin our families for what remained of the break. At all times when ‘on duty’ though, we understood that we were representing firstly the choir which had a global reputation for its performances, the University of Cambridge, and our school. We were taught and expected to behave in a certain way whilst carrying out our duties and to leave childhood behind until the cameras were off, the tape machines had been re-cued, or our tour bus had returned to base, allowing us to become young boys again. For each of those albums, TV appearances and tours, we were individually paid a fee directly into a personal building society account. Put simply, we were young Professionals – treated professionally and expected to behave accordingly. It was the making of me, and the values for everything I have done since in my work stem from the 4 years of my life that that regime instilled into me.

Now in my upper middle age, I still recall those experiences and with gratitude to all who contributed to them. That’s because in being treated professionally, I learned professional attitudes myself which have stood me in very good stead ever since. Conditioned? Yes, absolutely. Institutionalised? Perhaps. But self-aware, generally confident and rarely wrong-footed. They are the attitudes which have allowed me to do business with people throughout my life – not by acting as someone that I am not but embracing them through being the person that I have become. I am by no means perfect – I have plenty of flaws in my character, as we all do. But I recognise them, manage them, and minimise their effects – and in recognising them I have been able to do so from a young age. They, in turn have helped me in being a Professional – honing my skills, performing to my best and aspiring to do and be better – professionally.

In the last couple of weeks during the World Cup in Qatar we’ve seen professional behaviour by Professionals – arguably we’ve seen plenty of amateur behaviour by at least some of the same group too – through the bizarrely inappropriate ‘professional’ foul and more. Does the same apply to the world’s politicians, armed forces, public transport officials, industry supremos and more? That is for you to decide.

If you want to look for professional behaviour by Amateurs though, you don’t need to look far.

On Sunday afternoon this weekend I have the honour to be hosting – and performing – in a festive concert at Northampton School for Girls’ Spinney Theatre. The Northampton Symphony Orchestra has a great reputation for its work and although it proudly wears the Amateur badge, the attitudes of its musicians are of the highest professional order. Last week and last night we rehearsed together and I found myself actively working to raise my game to their standards – which, for me, was a really positive experience. Thanks in part to the pandemic it’s been quite a while since I’ve had the opportunity to contribute in that way and I’m really enjoying it – it’s good to be stretched. I’ve found all my performance practises and routines switching on again, because just as the audience will expect it of us, so too the orchestra rightly expects it of me. I will not let them down because I am a Professional. The concert starts at 3pm and there are a few tickets left – come and join us for some festive fun. www.nso.org.uk

In life we are all subject to standards – we expect the best for ourselves as consumers when we’re paying for service and others should surely expect no less from us in turn. Whether we’re paid as Professionals for what we do in any walk of life or not, we should at least aim to perform professionally – if we can look ourselves in the mirror and say that we’ve achieved that standard, I don't think we can be expected to do more. It is, after all, how we as a species make progress.