I was fortunate enough to have an associate share the following story with me. It's easy for all of us to get bogged down by the daily grind; so focused on budgets and bottom lines that sometimes we forget what matters in business. For me, this story served as a poignant reminder - it's the little things that count.
The Two Cent Plastic Spoon
It's a big day today. I awoke early this morning to catch a flight for my first appointment with a very large prospect. Upon arriving at the airport, I saw that my flight had been canceled — pretty rare for Southwest Airlines. I went to the ticket counter and they informed me that, if I ran, I could catch the 7:30 flight which was already boarding.
Otherwise, I would miss my big meeting. Security went surprisingly well, so I decided to stop at Starbuck’s for a cup of coffee and some breakfast. I got to the gate and was the last to board. I made it (a little stressed) and all was good.
I opened my Starbuck’s bag only to find that the woman had failed to give me a plastic spoon for my yogurt/fruit cup. When the flight attendant (Amy Bernard, PHX) came by I asked her if she possibly had a plastic spoon. She looked around the plane but came back empty-handed (as you know, Southwest only serves peanuts). A while later, our plane landed in Ontario, CA for a quick stop before we proceeded to Sacramento.
Amy took the time (during “the turn”) to get off the plane, find a Starbuck’s in the terminal and get me a two cent plastic spoon! ‘Canceled flight — are you kidding me? Running through the airport — not a second thought. A two cent plastic spoon — I will never forget it.
In today's wicked economy, I can look back on 2009 and say there was a horrible lack of Amy—like behavior (yes, I'm looking in the mirror). More so, I remember way too much fighting, blaming, excuses and complaining.
What is your "plastic spoon"? Here is a short list of things I can think of.
- An extra phone call just to say thanks
- A word of encouragement instead of criticism
- Stop by their office instead of an instant message
- Praise publicly, correct privately
- And finally, going out of your way to help someone — especially when it's most inconvenient for you. Way to go, Amy!
All of our budgets are strapped (or non-existent). Yet, not one of these acts cost even two cents — but the rewards are immense. Be the change you want to see. Everything works from the inside out.
