I look at profanity in business the same way Groucho Marx looked at it in comedy. Comics resort to it because they're desperate; they can't get laughs any other way.
If you need to use profanity to get your point across in business, maybe you should pause and take a good hard look at your message.
This has nothing to do with "professionalism" vs. "passion". You could (and should) do both.
It has everything to do with how you treat other people (whether you know them or not). Shouldn't be so hard to do it all: be yourself, have passion, treat others well, be professional, and succeed like crazy.
Bah. Using profanity has more to do with the fact that established business doesn't like it. ("Look at me! I can break all the rules and still turn a handsome profit. Maybe someone has been lying to all of you.")
I love stepping on the limits of what is appropriate, just to see how people react... It's never any fun when it happens by accident, but it can be a real blast when I have figured out beforehand just what phrasing will make my counterpart slightly uncomfortable.
Probably this is why the paraphrased subjects use the words "penis" and "kick-ass". And it might also be that it is closer to the way they interact in their daily lives. My life certainly gets easier when I don't have to worry all the time about whether something is appropriate or not.
As far as I can tell (being an outsider) being "professional" in contemporary American business culture means subordinating by wearing a suit and tie, working exactly when the boss tells you to and doing unpaid overtime whenever it is required. That's hardly something to strive for, due to a host of obvious reasons that anyone younger than 30 should be able to figure out. An alternative interpretation would be that being profesional is to serve your customers, but that's not what I hear whenever someone mentiones the word.
Yes, you are an outsider. I haven't seen what you describe as "contemporary American business culture" in at least 10 years.
As far as "stepping on the limits of what is appropriate, just to see how people react" goes, fine. Whatever turns you on. Just don't be surprised when the other person's reaction costs you. It can happen (and probably will).
Personally, I'd rather spend my energy doing great work and succeeding, whatever it takes.
If you need to use profanity to get your point across in business, maybe you should pause and take a good hard look at your message.
This has nothing to do with "professionalism" vs. "passion". You could (and should) do both.
It has everything to do with how you treat other people (whether you know them or not). Shouldn't be so hard to do it all: be yourself, have passion, treat others well, be professional, and succeed like crazy.