The Extra Spoon

I would like to share a powerful concept that has worked for me: under-promise, over-deliver.

I was having a chat with a friend the other day and he told me that the only way he could move forward in life is to 'suck up' to his bosses. Haven't we all heard that one before? Kinda our excuse for everything isn't it? And it let's us get away feeling good about ourselves! "I'm not moving forward in my career but it's ok, I have my dignity and I'm not a suck up!" Yeah. Sure. But think about it. This can't be really all that true or every successful man is nothing more than a brilliant 'suck up'! So is it really about sucking up?

I've talked about reframing in another chapter. It's our right to reframe because it's up to us to decide how to perceive the things that come before us. I offered him a powerful reframe - it's not about sucking up, it's about the ability to 'under-promise and over-deliver'. Powerful statement right there, and it worked for him!

My family went out to a small Thai restaurant a week ago. My wife made the reservations and informed them that my lovely niece and nephew would be coming and we'd need baby chairs.

That restaurant wowed us. We're definitely going back, and it's not because of the food.

When we arrived, we noticed that the two baby chairs were at the best spot possible, away from other human traffic. And best of all, they had given them a bowl and a spoon each with Disney characters on it. How wonderful! It made our day. We're going back.

When was the last time you were wowed? Didn't it feel great? Didn't you tell yourself,"That person made my day!" But when was the last time you wowed someone? When was the last time you under-promised and over-delivered? When was the last time you wowed a student or a colleague? What's your excuse? Hopefully it's not the same as that of the colleague you're upset with because she did her bare minimum at work the other day.

The restaurant was neither large nor popular, they just put the well being of those they served ahead of everything else. And somewhat that made the food taste better than it was. I had driven past the restaurant many times not even knowing it even existed. But someone recommended it. I have a hunch why.

I went out for a walk with my wife recently. She wanted to have some Chinese peanut soup from a store near our apartment. She grabbed the bowl and a spoon, and sat down quite a distance away from the proprietress. I didn't even know she was watching. She appeared out of nowhere brandishing a spoon! Caught me totally by surprise. "Didn't know you were sharing," she said, as she passed me an extra spoon.

Wow!