Give yourself an ‘A’ today! It makes a difference

posted more than an year ago | category : Inspirational

Something a seemingly ordinary event can hold valuable life lessons for us all. Like it happened at a lunch I had with a friend some years ago. As I recall it, the food was good, and the conversation delightful. But what made the lunch unforgettable was something else altogether.

As we entered the restaurant and sat down at our table, my host reached for his wallet. He pulled out a hundred rupee note and handed it to the waiter – who accepted it with a big smile. Now it wasn’t the size of the tip that surprised me.

It was the timing. For the first time, I saw someone tipping for service even before we had ordered our meal. Needless to say, we got treated like royalty that afternoon. The service was quick, the waiter seemed to be hovering around us, and the huge smile never left his face. And as we walked out after an enjoyable meal, I was left wondering: Why don’t we all tip before a meal?

If you think about it, maybe there’s a lesson in that for all of us that goes beyond tipping. Rewarding other people – and yourself - in advance can indeed make a difference. A big difference.

So what really happened at the restaurant that day? By paying the tip upfront, my friend was telling the waiter, “I know you’ll do a terrific job of looking after us!” And the waiter was probably telling himself “Wow! He trusts me to look after him well. I must do all I can to live up to his expectations.” And throughout the afternoon, we expected great service – and got it!