‘But the real reason you extend yourself in these moments when it all falls apart is that this is how you will measure yourself over time.  What you did when you had a chance to connect and to care.’*

‘When people in organisations focus only on their positions they have little sense of responsibility for the results produced when all positions interact.’**

The afternoon tea was for celebrating our wedding anniversary.  The day had been planned towards arriving at the cafe, but our booking had been lost.

The person in charge was apologetic.  Perhaps we could have some cake and a drink with a good discount.

She saw our disappointment.

Give me half an hour.

We returned to a full afternoon tea , gluten-free and vegetarian, impeccably presented, attended by wonderful table service – and prosecco thrown in.

The discipline of presence begins with the mindset, I am here, now, so what can I make happen.

The mindset of absence is, It’s someone else’s fault, I wish I wasn’t here, there’s nothing I can do.^

Yesterday, the person in charge became the whole organisation for us.

We think this is where the best afternoon tea in Edinburgh is served.

(*From Seth Godin’s blog The toxic antidote to goodwill.)
(**From Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline.)
(^This was our exact experience a few weeks earlier at a different place.)