Wherever you live in the world, you probably know at least one person who walks around town with a clipboard and a grading sheet.

This person to watch for (and to avoid, if possible) is the Chronic Inspector. We're not talking about Quality Control at the factory; we're talking about a self-appointed person with the mission in life of Judging Everybody Else.

Although male inspectors and female inspectors differ in their approach to judging, there are some general traits shared by both:

• The Inspector never finds anyone with a perfect score. He/she is the model for what is perfect and always will be.
• The words "cheerleader" and "encourager" are not in the Inspector's vocabulary. The Inspector has no idea what these terms mean and no intention of learning them.
• The Inspector thinks that his/her critiques will make you want to improve, to be a better person.
• The Inspector is compulsive about judging, unable to break the habit.
• The Inspector probably has issues related to low self-esteem but will never admit it.

MALE INSPECTORS

Male Inspectors, who usually focus on judging other men, will examine:

• Cars. How up-to-date? How powerful? How expensive?
  
• Golf. How good is the golf swing? What is the handicap? What is the average score? How expensive is the country club belonged to? What celebrities (famous people, local big shots,etc.) do you play golf with?
• Career: Are you white collar or blue collar? What is your job title? Are you in management? How high up in management? Has your boss invited you to play golf or come over for drinks?
• Education: What college gave you your diploma? What degree? How good is that college's football team? Is your college a "status" school? ("Status" can be defined according to the region you live in.)
• Children: Do your children make high grades? Do they play football, basketball or baseball? Are your daughters beautiful? Do your children have scholarships to "status" schools?
• Clothing: Who is your tailor? Where do you buy your clothes? How much did you pay for your suits? Where do you buy your shoes and what brands do you buy?
• Clubs and Associations: What status clubs do you belong to? Who are the VIPs who also belong to those clubs? 

WOMEN INSPECTORS

Women Inspectors tend to judge other women in these categories:

• Husbands: Where does your husband work? White collar or blue collar? How much does he make annually? How handsome is he? 
• Children: Do your children make high grades? What schools do they attend (preferably status schools)? Do your children take classes in tennis, ballet, foreign languages, social dancing, etiquette? Are your children physically attractive? Where do you buy their clothes?
• Home Decor: What brands of china, sterling silver, crystal, linens do you use for entertaining? Did you have an interior designer for your house or condo? What brands of furniture did you buy?
• Your Home: How expensive is the section of town where you live? Do you have a swimming pool? What celebrities live in your neighborhood?
• Hairstyle: Where do you go for hairstyling? Does your male stylist speak French or Italian? How expensive are your haircuts, colors, permanents, etc. Is your hairstyle trendy?
• Wardrobe: Where do you buy your clothes? Do you make purchases in Rome or Paris? How expensive are your shoes, purses, dresses? Are you able to wear a formal dress only once before discarding it in the Salvation Army bin?

HOW TO LIVE WITH INSPECTORS

• If you live your life, wanting to earn good grades on the Inspector's rating sheet, you deserve what you get. You will never fully satisfy the Inspector but you will spend a lot of money trying to get As.
• If you measure yourself and your achievement in life by what the Inspector tells you, you won't ever be free to be yourself. The Inspector is a "little person", imposing superficial standards on others. Those who follow the Inspector will be "little", too.
• When you encounter the Inspector, learn how to smile politely and move on. The Inspector will probably never change but you don't have to be the product of the Inspector's mentoring.
• Beware of becoming an Inspector yourself. It's exhausting to spend one's days in constant judgment of others. And it's disappointing to learn that people you thought were friends have tiptoed away from you, because they smiled politely and moved on.