I was just thinking...

Before I made it out of the Matrix, I spent a little bit of time working in Human Resources. During my time in HR I learned quite a few tricks in regard to weeding out and selecting the right candidates from all of the many applicants.

Some of the tricks were simple, like telling the applicants to read all of the instructions before writing anything...if they actually read the entire packet the last page would instruct them to turn the blank application in along with their resume. I can't tell you how many times people proudly turned in their application where the applicant had filled in every line on the page...(those applications went straight into File 13 aka the trash can)

Although I am no longer in the corporate world I have had to devise similar methods to determine whether or not I will work with a potential client or business partner. I even use these sometimes in my personal life.

Of these my favorite is merely taking people out to lunch or dinner, my treat. I have discovered that you can learn a lot by observing people's behavior when you treat them to lunch or dinner. Here are a few things I have observed from taking people out to lunch:

• People who are comfortable with me relax and enjoy the meal. They order from the menu without flinching and then they enjoy their meal without worrying or second guessing what they ordered.

• People who aren't sure where they stand with me often hesitate and fiddle around...they are unsure of what to order and even when they do order they seem to fidget and worry if they made the right choice or they act as if they are waiting on me to complain about their choice (which I never do...a clear indication that they don't know me very well.)

• The people who don't care for me too much...often see my generous offer as a way to "get me" so they look for the most expensive thing on the menu, thinking it will hurt me by them ordering something expensive...again clearly indicating that they don't know me very well because when I offer to treat you that is exactly what I mean your treat.

Need to make a deciscion on who to work with, or do you want to know where people stand with you? Might I suggest inviting them to lunch...