Dr. King told us that in his dream his children would be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. He wanted us to see them for the person they were rather than taking the lazy way out and drawing assumptions based on skin color. As a manager, how inclined are you to look deeper into the attributes of each of the members of your team? Are you willing to move beyond a conventional point of view and get to know them as individuals? Are you willing to adjust your coaching style in order to help each individual succeed? In management courses I have taught, I refer to character as your “get out of jail free card.” Your past behaviors are what will cause people to say, “Scott doesn’t seem himself today” rather than “Scott is being impossible once again.” When you behave in ways that strengthen relationships and trust, people are more apt to be forgiving of minor transgressions. It is a two way street that begins with trust and communication.