Talk about your friends the same way whether they’re in the room or not.

Consistency in how you speak about people is the foundation everything else rests on. Anyone who hears you describe an absent friend unkindly learns something about what happens when they leave the room, and that knowledge quietly limits how much they will ever tell you. Trust is built in conversations the person is not part of.

Before repeating something about a friend, ask whether you would say it with them sitting there. When the answer is no, either keep it or take it to them directly. Being the person others feel safe around is worth more than being interesting.