Last week, I was in Sydney , Australia working with one of my clients. Of course, that meant that I stayed at a hotel and ate in restaurants all week.
The pace of life in Australia (in the suburbs) is a little calmer than what I’m used to in the US. The slower pace gave me a chance to observe and have more gentle interactions with people.
As my trip came to a close, I wanted to show my gratitude to some of the people I had met. Because tipping or gratuity is not an expected or common practice in Australia (as employees are generally paid a living wage), I knew it would be unexpected to tip.
But a young server at the hotel remembered my special breakfast request of scrambled egg whites on the first day and offered them (unprompted) to me every single day of my stay! We chuckled about what a great memory she had, and I tucked a few dollars in the palm of her hand on my last morning. She was genuinely surprised (and delighted). I did the same for the cashier at the restaurant where I picked up my daily lunch.
It was in that spirit that I did something quite unusual when I arrived at the Sydney Airport to return home. As I was getting ready to board my flight, I walked by a coffee stand and bakery that displayed freshly baked croissants. As I looked at the display, I thought about the pilots who would be in the cockpit of my flight. And I imagined they would enjoy them.
So, I purchased some of the delicious croissants and made my way on to the plane. Before sitting down, I dashed up to the front of the plane and poked my head into the cockpit and said, “Hey guys, I have a little something for you.”
When I started pulling out the fresh croissants, the 4 pilots jumped up and were effusive in their gratitude. Over and over they each said, “This is so kind of you.”
I could tell that this likely had never happened to them before, where a passenger brought them a gift.
The Captain, Jim Zapata, jumped up and offered me his pilot’s seat and grabbed my phone to take some photos. Turns out he resides in San Diego, California, close to where I live. And coincidentally, he told me that day was his 39th anniversary of flying with United Airlines!
The words “this was so kind of you” kept repeating in my head. I’m guessing the pilots hear mostly complaints from passengers. Couple that with the general tension in the world today, due to economic worries, erratic financial markets, and job uncertainty.
So, performing a “random act of kindness” was especially meaningful and timely.
Have you ever done that? Standing in line at a coffee shop, have you ever paid for the person behind you? Anonymously. Or when someone has complimented you on something you have at your home or are wearing and you gifted it to them on the spot (I’ve done that many times).
I know a bit of kindness goes a long way. In business, at home…..and in life in general.
Maybe it’s time to find a way to show some kindness. There doesn’t have to be a specific reason. It could be to your coworker, a client, a friend, a family member, or a complete stranger.
During my time in Sydney, I used the gym adjacent to my hotel. On my last evening, as I was exiting, I walked a little slower, so I could hold open the door for the woman behind me. She made a huge point to thank me for my kindness and we struck up a short conversation. That small pause made me smile as I walked off.
Try it! I guarantee showing some genuine kindness will bring you new joy.
Onward and Upward,
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