Running head: SHAMARI HAMLET- PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Professional Philosophy
Shamari Hamlet
Wayne State University

2
Developing a professional philosophy is an important document to constantly review as I proceed along
my career path as a Sport Administration Professional. Constantly reviewing my professional philosophy
ensures that each step in my career aligns with the goals and objectives that are important to me. A
professional philosophy also ensures that my behavior and ethics are only benefiting and helping my
future co-workers and the public that I work with. My professional philosophy will be a tool to facilitate
self-reflection and a tool to give myself a personal performance review. I will integrate my Professional
Philosophy into my daily activities and thoughts in and out of the workplace.
Developing this professional philosophy was an eye opening challenge for me. Throughout my
life, being ambitious about my career was never a top priority for me. I also considered having a family
was my priority and a career was a hobby I did on the side. After college, I realized that I needed to focus
on my career instead of settling down. After all, I did get a Bachelors of Science degree in college, not a
MRS degree. I was blessed to find the career that I am in now. I started out as in intern in my current
organization, then was hired as a temporary employee, and eventually hired full time. From a young age, I
knew that whatever career I would have needed to benefit the greater good, not just myself or a
corporation. Even though I hope to be moving on from my current career in the near future, it has taught
me two lessons that I will take with me to any other career I have in the future. A) I do not deserve
success just by being myself, I have to work hard and prove to others that I am fully capable of the
success that I have achieved. B) Building relationships with other is just as important as being able to do
your job well. There are many people who can complete tasks, but few people who can be builders of
people and ideas. Given that this is my first real career in sports, it took a lot of trial and error for me
figure out what was important to me professionally and then how to translate those goals for myself into
real outcomes. By developing this professional philosophy, I now have a living document to guide me as I
continue as a Sport Administration professional.
Professional Values
Equal Opportunity for All Kids

3
Something that I reflect back about often is my time running for a competitive track team for 10 years.
There are so many lessons that I learned running on the team that I take with me years later. Given that
the track team was based out of inner city Detroit, there were many athletes who were extremely talented
but did not have the resources needed to compete with kids who came from better socioeconomic
backgrounds. There were many time parents and coaches putting their money together to buy shoes,
uniforms, pay travel costs, and buy other necessities for many of the athletes on the team. These are the
memories that I carry with me about the team today; not how fast I ran or how far I jumped. My most
important professional goal is to give every athlete the same opportunity kids from better socioeconomic
backgrounds receive. Many times, the best talent is found in the hood but these athletes do not have the
support needed to capitalize on their talents. From my experiences, kids who do not come from a lot are
the most hardworking and grateful kids. I believe that every kid should have access to the best
uniforms/equipment, trainers, and competitions of they put in the time and effort to succeed. My
professional goal is to work with a foundation or organization that supports and sponsors young athletes
in urban communities. I do not want to just run sports programs for kids, I want to provide and find
support for them in all areas of their life including academic and emotionally. I do not personally have the
tools to support every aspect of the childs life but I want to be a bridge that connects many different
support systems to create a holistic development plan for talented young athletes.
Becoming a Foundation in the Community
Working in my current organization showed me how important public perception of your organization is
in advancing your professional goals. In order to be effective in an individuals life, resources are needed.
In any organization that I work in, I hope to showcase and promote the vision and goals of any
organization that I am a part of to those who have resources available to support us. I will be an advocate
for whatever the organization stands for. My work will exemplify the goals and mission of the
organization.
Teamwork

4
I learned in my current career that nothing is accomplished without the help of others. I thought that
asking for help was a sign of weakness or incompetence. I wanted to do everything by myself because I
wanted to prove how capable and intelligent I was to my peers. I quickly learned that nothing can be
accomplished without the help of others. Stephen Covey writes in his hugely successful book The 7
Habits of Highly Effective People that We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing- that
is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. In reality, everyone can win by working together. Throughout
my career I will trust my peers and use their expertise and assistance to accomplish our goals. I will also
be open to my peers and give them my expertise and assistance when they need it. I will collaborate not
just with my co-workers, but with other organizations in the community and nationwide who have the
same goals that I do.
Personal Values
Being a Role Model and Mentor
I plan to continue working with young athletes in my future career. I hope to be instrumental in their
future development as an athlete and as a young adult in general. Throughout my life, my biggest role
models and mentors were my three track coaches and the older athletes that were on my team. They not
only gave me athletic instruction and support, they also supported my entire growth as a person. Role
models give guidance and provide a blueprint for success as we grow older and more mature. Mentors
provide a trusting relationship between two people to develop ones social, spiritual, and personal values.
Now that I am older and wiser, I hope to become a mentor and role model not just for the youth I work
with, but for young women who hope to eventually work in the sports profession.
Respect and Being Open
Working in sports can be an extremely cutthroat industry. A little respect can go a long way with building
relationships and accomplishing goals in this industry. Working in sports and moving ahead in your
career is truly built on networking and who knows you. Burning bridges in this industry will leave you

5
stuck in a career you may not be happy with. I will treat my peers with courtesy and kindness and expect
others to do the same with me. I will respectfully listen to others opinions and critiques about my work,
as well as respectfully give my opinion to others. I hope to be an encouraging ear for my peers to bounce
ideas off of and implement strategies to continually move our organization forward.
Excellence in Everything
Running competitive track taught me at a young age to be excellent in everything I do. I learned there was
a direct correlation between how hard I practiced, and how well I did at a track meet. I have taken this
lesson with me into my work now. I perform all of my job tasks to the best ability no matter how small of
menial they may be. I will also take the opportunity to learn new skills and do new tasks throughout my
career. I will constantly strive to improve my outlook, wellbeing, and self esteem in and out of the
workplace. My hard work and talent will speak for itself by how effective I am in a childs athletic and
personal development.

No one is put on this Earth for absolutely no reason. Everyone has a purpose and you owe it to yourself
and others to find and live your true purpose. I am grateful that I have found my purpose in working in the
sports industry. I strive to better the community I live in, work in, and learn in through the development
of this communitys best talent.

6
References
Covey, S. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Stephen R. Covey. Retrieved from
https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit1.php