Anyway, we went back and forth – with others now chiming in to tell her to go to the back of the line – before I finally said to her, “Nice example you’re setting for your kids.” She definitely heard me, but pretended not to. After a couple more minutes, I decided to physically plant my body in front of her, and then I heard her say to her kids, “Just let them go first.” How generous of her. I’m generally non-confrontational, but in situations like this I have absolutely no problem confronting.

Since that day, I’ve come across the same type of behavior multiple times and in a variety of situations. I really hope it’s more the exception than the rule, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this type of behavior is more typical than I realize. It’s critical for not only parents, but also teachers, managers, or anyone else in a leadership position to lead by example! Whether it’s at home, at school, or at work, we want our the people in our charge to exhibit a desired behavior, but where’s the motivation to do so if we fail to be role models for them?