Old School Professionalism

Professionalism is not outdated, it is essential. In today’s workplace, clarity, discipline, and presence are too often treated as optional. Old School Professionalism argues the opposite: that standards are not relics but the foundation of trust, influence, and results. Drawing on hard lessons from global leadership roles and supported by real research, Michael Dunn rebuilds the fundamentals that once defined serious professionals. From commanding presence in the room to sharpening communication, from dressing with intent to killing ambiguity, this book lays out practical moves that can be taught, repeated, and defended. This is not nostalgia. It is a manifesto for restoring credibility, raising the bar, and leading with clarity in a distracted world. For early-career professionals who want to stand out, for veterans who refuse to fade, and for leaders who know culture follows example, this book is both a challenge and a toolkit. Professionalism still works, if you enforce it.