Kindness and Surprise Still Matter at Work
A favorite of mine - a small note can mean so much!
I love a good pricing strategy. I can nerd out for hours about discounting, conversion rates, and profit margins. But let’s be real: that’s not what fills me up.
You know what does?
Kindness.
A beautifully plated breakfast, even if it’s just a bagel with fresh berries and a cloth napkin. A heartfelt thank you that isn’t automated. The look on someone’s face when they get a little something extra they weren’t expecting. Including a personalized note when a product is shipped.
That’s the good stuff.
And it’s not just for guests or clients. A lot of the magic in a business happens when we extend that same care to the people we work with. When someone on your team feels truly seen, or when you stop for 60 seconds to help a coworker feel a little more confident before a big meeting—that’s where culture lives.
It starts with noticing.
One of the most underrated leadership or customer service skills? Paying attention. Like, really paying attention.
On a cruise, for example, you usually get the same server every night at dinner. By night two, that server knows who likes Pellegrino and who wants iced tea with lemon. By night three, your drink is on the table before you even sit down. You feel known. Taken care of. And a little bit delighted.
I once had a friend who always wanted dessert first. We had a banquet server who picked up on it, and every time that guy walked into a room, there it was: dessert on the table before anything else. No fanfare. Just a little nod to who he was. It cracked me up every time, and it made him feel seen.
Even when I’m the guest, I’m not immune to the urge to surprise and delight. I can’t help myself—if I go to a conference or a meeting with a cookie tray, I always slip one into my bag to take home to my husband. It’s his favorite thing. That small act of remembering what someone loves and making a quiet gesture around it? That’s what sticks.
It doesn’t take much. It just takes noticing.
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Surprise and delight isn’t about big budgets or grand gestures. It’s about intention.
Leave a handwritten thank-you note for a regular customer.
Bring a coworker their favorite drink just because.
Send a friend a text that says, “I saw this and thought of you.”
One of my favorite examples? We had a manager who quietly made it his job to find out people’s favorite candy—and then show up with it out of nowhere on hard days. Not as a fix. Just as a reminder that someone was paying attention.
That’s the kind of place people stay.
That’s the kind of culture that makes the hard days worth it.
It translates to any business.
This kind of service doesn’t require a fancy hotel lobby or a full-time concierge. It works just as well in a dental office, an auto shop, or a law firm.
A hairstylist who remembers you hate being asked questions during your blowout, so she keeps things peaceful.
A receptionist who always has your favorite pen in the drawer because you borrow it every time you sign in.
A barista who learns you like your latte extra hot and makes sure it doesn’t hit the counter lukewarm.
Even in leadership—especially in leadership—this matters. It’s a different kind of ROI, but it’s the one that leads to loyalty, retention, and team culture people rave about.
So here’s your challenge:
Before your day is done, surprise and delight one person in each category:
A customer
A coworker or employee
A friend or family member
Learn their “dessert first.” Find out what they love, and find a way to give it to them without being asked.
It doesn’t have to be big. Just real.
And if you’re someone who wants to build a business that feels this way—one that actually creates connection instead of just transactions—download my free Connections Guide. It’s built around the five human things everyone wants, in any relationship. Yes, even in business.
Let’s bring some joy back into work.
