Yesterday, we went into New York City to have brunch with our friends. We chose Pastis which is in the West Village and it was amazing! I’m going to attribute our “amazing” comment to Magdalena, our server. She was like a ray of sunshine! She was delightful, incredibly knowledgeable of the menu, and guided us toward decisions that, in her educated opinion, were the best. I think she even had a twinklier her eye! 10 out of 10 for Magdalena—and the food!

It is not lost on me that Magdalena works for tips, so it serves her to be nice, knowledgeable and helpful. That should mean that every server you and I ever get in a restaurant is amazing, but we all know that isn’t true! What if we all took Magdalena’s attitude to work each day? What if we took even a percentage of her attitude to work each day? Would we get more accomplished? Would it benefit ourselves and others? Research shows that kindness pays off! Harvard Business Review said this:

“Research suggests that kindness yields positive outcomes for businesses. If you’re an emerging leader, being kind to your employees can help you retain top talent, establish a thriving culture, increase employee engagement, and enhance productivity. When people receive a compliment or words of recognition, it helps them feel more fulfilled, boosts their self-esteem, improves their self-evaluations, and triggers positive emotions. The result: happier, more engaged employees.”

It’s Monday and it’s probably not your favorite day of the week, and especially not in the summer. Let’s just do a quick reset. Ask yourself, “What attitude do I want to have today? “How would I behave if I was paid primarily on “tips”?” What if my behavior today was the driver of positive outcomes for my business?” ‘What if I could make my team happier and more engaged simply by being kind?” As always, it’s your choice. Choose wisely.

Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth Fitzgerald