A Sudden Confrontation on the Sidewalk
A woman stepped out from the rear door of a black SUV onto the city sidewalk.
She swung a dark leather handbag over her forearm and pulled her suit jacket tight against her waist.
Her black high heel planted firmly onto the pavement inches away from a small metal tin filled with loose coins.
Sitting flat against the concrete exterior wall of the corporate headquarters was an older woman wearing a heavy grey coat.
The applicant stopped in her tracks, pointed her index finger toward the building entrance, and leaned her body forward.
She demanded that the woman clear the path immediately, stating that she had an important job interview scheduled upstairs.
The woman sitting on the sidewalk looked upward with open eyes, keeping her arms resting across her knees.
A Disturbance Outside the Entrance
The applicant pulled back her right foot and struck the side of the metal tin with the tip of her shoe.
The container flipped onto its side, sending dozens of silver and copper coins clattering across the pavement.
Several coins rolled off the curb and into the street while the older woman reached out with open hands.
The applicant looked down at her wrist, tapped her watch face, and adjusted the strap of her handbag.
She turned away from the curb and walked straight toward the double glass doors of the glass skyscraper.
Her heels clicked loudly across the polished marble lobby floor as she crossed to the elevator bank.
Walking Into the Executive Office
The applicant stepped off the elevator on the top floor and walked along the carpeted corridor toward the main suite.
She pushed open the tall glass door and stepped into a spacious executive corner office with panoramic city views.
Her feet came to a sudden halt on the carpet, her hand remaining fixed to the stainless steel door handle.
Sitting behind a dark mahogany desk at the far side of the room was the same woman from the sidewalk outside.
She was now wearing a dark pressed business suit, a strand of white pearls, and a star emblem pinned to her lapel.
The applicant pulled her chin back, her eyes opening wide as her shoulder dropped downward.
An Unexpected Evaluation
The executive remained seated, resting her forearms on top of a neat stack of documents lying on the desk surface.
She looked straight across the room, informing the candidate that the assessment had taken place downstairs on the sidewalk.
The candidate stepped into the room, raising both hands with open palms while taking a shallow breath.
The executive lifted her arm and extended a single finger straight toward the open glass door leading back to the hallway.
She repeated her statement with a firm posture, maintaining her point toward the exit without shifting her eyes.
The candidate swallowed, lowered her hands to her sides, and turned back toward the glass doors leading to the hallway.
Share this story with someone who believes that how you treat people matters everywhere you go.