I woke up with a bit of a hangover from yesterday. I had beers with the guys from work, celebrating a new hire (a sales person). The new guy is a fellow my age, from Liverpool. He only speaks English, so everyone in the team switched to speaking in English. We were looking forward to it because we are all bilingual and write in English in Slack, but communicate verbally in Spanish. English is supposed to be our "official" language, so this puts us up to the test.
One of the younger guys said "Oh it's so strange to hear you speak in native English, I feel like I respect you more", which I initially took as if he disrespected me, but then I realized I had construed this meaning myself.
During our beers our boss had to take a call, so I asked the new guy a couple of tough questions: "we weren't involved in the hire so we really don't know anything about you. We do know the decision was tough and we had good candidates. Why do you think Sam and Juan chose you over the other candidates?". He laughed and said he felt like he was meeting the parents of a new girlfriend. He validated himself by outlining his methods and knowledge of sales processes (of which we all know almost nothing). We liked his answer. He doesn't have salesman energy, he doesn't bullshit. He also has a varied background: trained as an economist, he was the guitarist of a psychedelic rock band, a bartender, then practiced as a lawyer and then as a salesman at Typeform, in Barcelona.
We spoke about good group skills: what do you bring to your tribe? His skills were clear: music and cocktails. Another of the guys is an excellent cook. Other prepares amazing bbqs. Other has an amazing amount of gadgets and he's willing to lend them. I couldn't come with anything of my own. Perhaps I ask good questions. My boss said to me: "sit next to him, you ask good questions". I'm not sure I know how they come to me. I think I see people with curiosity: I know when I'm meeting someone I'm trying to connect dots, and I know what part of the picture I'm completing for myself, so I'm trying to test my assumptions about how the picture completes.
After the beers I was walking towards the subway when I encountered a friend I have in common with V. He lives around the neighborhood where I work. He proposed grabbing a beer at a nearby bar. We hadn't seen him in a while, he's holed up because he's an artist and is preparing an exhibition. He outlined the stress of creative work under a deadline. Expressing doubt about his talent. I can't say I don't have it myself (in his art and in my own). We bid farewell and I came back home at 1:30am.
I don't like this entry, but I will keep it.