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Gracious ProfessionalismGracious professionalism is the embodiment of the FIRST philosophy. It is how we should strive to act, whether we are being watched or not, and in a way that would make our grandmothers proud. It has long been part of the history of FIRST, and only recently codified in the 2004 manual. "Gracious professionals make a valued contribution in a manner pleasing to others and to themselves. In FIRST, one of the most straightforward interpretations of gracious professionalism is that we learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. We try to avoid leaving anyone feeling like they are losers. No chest thumping barbarian tough talk, but no sticky sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, pride and empathy comfortably blended.... In the long run, gracious professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life." How does one act "graciously professional"? Common sense goes a long way toward this. Act like you would want others to act. Help others out as often as you can. Be gracious, but at the same time, be professional. For instance, booing would obviously not be graciously professional, but at the same time saying "everyone is a winner" would be just as much so. It's all about healthy competition, or "co-opetition". It is a concept hard to explain, but easy to identify when seen. It means different things to different people, as evidenced by various discussions on ChiefDelphi here and here (among other places).
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