I traveled with a couple of colleagues on a recent business trip. It was interesting to observe the behavior of one of the folks on the journey. When you spend a week together things become exposed. This person would walk through doors first without remembering we were behind him, and throw his luggage first in the trunk without concern where we put ours. This person also treated wait staff rudely in restaurants. I had never traveled extensively with this person before and was a little surprised (in fact, I need to give him this feedback). I believe that this person behaves this way, not because he is intentionally disrespectful, but because he lives in his head. Without noticing, he just doesn’t think about the people around him.
Observe people and the extent they are thoughtful and aware of people around them. That’s why some hiring managers insist on having a meal with a top prospect. How they treat the servers in a restaurant will tell you more than what they say about respecting people.
with Character,
Lorne