Answer the Question

I just completed answering seven reference check questions about a friend of mine who is interviewing for a new job.  The first six questions were pretty standard: How did I know the candidate and for how long; describe the candidate's management and leadership style; comment on their people-to-people skills, etc.  Pretty basic stuff.

And while the last question was also pretty standard, it got me thinking. The question was:   Anything else you would like to say about this candidate? 

That leaves a pretty wide open forum for all sorts of comments.  I started wondering how the people I know would answer that question about me if they were really being honest.  I'd like to think that their comments would all be positively glowing, but let's be real...I'm not always positively glowing. 

It's easy to think that I don't really have any control over what people say about me, but that's just not true.  If others answer that question honestly, then I have complete control because it all boils down to what they hear me say and see me do. And if I live my life with integrity and love in those two arenas, then all is good.

So, every now and then, I think it might be a good idea to stop and consider how that question would be answered about me. After all, I never know when I might need a good reference!

P.S.  I gave my friend a glowing reference which was richly deserved!