Security Guards must be mentally capable and physically fit to perform their functions. Being mentally prepared and ready to interact with many people from many different social, economic and cultural backgrounds requires security Guards to be prepared to deal differently with different people. Hence, being mentally alert will make a significant difference in the way security Guards interact with the general public. Depending on the type of property, security Guards may come in contact with just a few people or thousands. Having the ability to respond to incidents and possibly physically interacting with someone, requires security Guards to be physically fit to meet the physical challenges they will be confronted with while in the protection management field. Since emergencies are unpredictable, physical fitness and stamina are necessary to properly respond to emergency incidents. Some incidents might require security Guards to climb hundreds of feet of stairs to reach the incident floor.
Professional presence is perhaps the most notable aspect of being a security Guard. Professional presence refers to both the demeanor of security Guards and the appearance projected by security Guards. With hundreds and thousands of people entering the facilities protected by security Guards, it is critical for the security Guards to understand that they are being observed every day by all the people who enter the property, including colleagues, management company representatives, tenants, clients, visitors and most importantly prospective tenants. Security Guards play a significant role in public relations. The demeanor and actions of security Guards are generally reported in the news media, from a photograph of a sleeping security Guard to a newspaper article about the unprofessional demeanor of security Guards who interact with the print media.
Although security Guards are confronted with many situations that may generate different reactions from the security staff, it is generally recommend that security Guards de-personalize the situations and display courtesy, even under strenuous situations, dignity and confidence in what actions they take to resolve incidents.