Welcome to a new year and a new blog series! This is the first edition of Leadership Lessons from the Road. Each week I will unpack (pun intended) one of my business trips from 2022 and share the leadership lessons I learned along the way. This first story takes place just last month when I was speaking in Denver. This was my maiden trip to Colorado, so my first stop after checking into my hotel was the closest pub I could find to knock off one of my top bucket list items…Drink a Coors Banquet beer in the very state it is brewed. I know, I have a very lame bucket list.

I found a tavern, ordered my local golden nectar with a plate of mozzarella sticks and enjoyed life for thirty minutes. I eventually asked for my check, gave the bartender my credit card, and waited. And waited. And then waited some more. Each time I tried to grab my server’s attention, he would seemingly intentionally avert eye contact. After a few more minutes of this, my Spidey sense started tingling. Something wasn’t right. Finally, the bartender returned. “I have good news and bad news,” he said. “Which would you like first?”

“Let’s go with the good news,” I returned.

“Great,” he said. “Your bill is comped. Your beer and mozz sticks are on the house!”

“That’s fantastic,” I replied. “But I can’t help but think this free food and drink are somehow linked to the bad news.”

“Yes sir. You’re correct,” said the bartender. “I don’t know how, but we’ve lost your credit card.”

My immediate thought was How do you lose a credit card someone just handed you? I waited tables for years and never lost a credit card. My next thought was I’m here in Denver for three days. Not having a credit card will be a huge inconvenience.

“I’m sure it will turn up,” continued the bartender, apparently reading my mind (or just reading the concerned look on my face). “In the meantime, write your name and contact information down for us and we will call you as soon as it turns up. In addition to that, I don’t know how long you’re in town for, but any time you’d like to come back and revisit us, your entire meal will be comped. Lunch, dinner, late night apps, drinks, you name it, we’re covering your future tabs. It’s the least we can do.”

Credit to this young man for doing what he could to rewrite the end of this story. He could have said, “Sorry, these things happen. You better call your bank and cancel the card.” But he didn’t. He did what he could to put a positive ending on an unfortunate event. The rest was up to me. Now I had a decision to make. I needed to quickly decide through which set of lenses I was going to view this event. I could have easily taken out my frustration on this server, who had simply made an honest mistake. I could have left a scathing YELP review to show them who was boss. I could have badmouthed the establishment to anyone who would listen. And I could have let this experience define my trip to Denver and never want to come back.

Or…I could look at my circumstances through a more positive set of lenses. I could easily cancel my card and have a brand new one waiting for me at my local bank when I got home. And I could save some money by going back to this establishment and eating and drinking for free for a few days. One set of lenses was going to raise my blood pressure to an unhealthy level. The other set of lenses was going to save me money and give me a great story to tell in the future. I went with option B. I ate and drank for free, made new friends at this establishment, fell in love with the hospitality of Denver, and got a new card when I arrived home.

We always have the option of looking for the bad or good in situations. This also holds true for people. The choice is always ours. Here’s hoping you see the good in everything and everyone in 2023! Happy New Year everyone! Make it the best year yet!