There might still be a bit of spidey sense happening, or at least first impressions made, but I’m retired and don’t usually spend time with anyone other than people I choose to spend time with. Apart from the occasional door-to-door salesperson, I don’t have opportunity or reason to have to size anyone up. Ok, salespeople and political candidates.
In my years as a pastor, I became somewhat astute at being able to tell who the troublemakers were going to be– the occasional backbiter, chronic complainer, saboteur, and passive aggressive type who made life more interesting, i.e aggravating, than it needed to be. But it’s not like I could fire parishioners (technically, I could, but there was a process involving me and members of the congregation, and the infraction would have to be grievous). Most often, we had to learn to coexist, try to be Christ-like.
When it came to our small staffs, deficiencies sometimes emerged. I had to be responsive and caring, and on rare occasions had to have conversations and be part of decisions that were difficult but necessary.
Most parish pastors wear a lot of hats, but I don’t think I would have made a very good personnel director.
3 Cents' 