I’m flying over the middle of the Atlantic craving a teacup of Earl Grey and milk with a scone, fresh jam and clotted cream. Oh London, you may have converted this Sales Barista to a tea drinker!

Having just spent the past four days in the city voted “Best City in the World” by PricewaterhouseCoopers, I can comprehend its striking appeal. However, as I fly away, back to my home in the Carolina’s, there is one thing I’m craving more than high tea: southern hospitality.

You know what I’m talking about, the sweet tea kind of southern hospitality, where smiles are free and service reigns queen. Not that I have anything against Queen Elizabeth II. She did allow me to see her palace, tower and amazing crown jewels. Yet, despite the Queen’s best attempts at wooing me with her impressive regalia, the average Brit in a service role did not seem to carry the same gold standard.

Now before anyone slams me for throwing an entire country under a double-decker bus, I’m well aware there are exceptions to everything. OK? OK. I can’t help but walk away from London with much more pride and patience than when I arrived due to the terribly lack-luster service I repeatedly received.

Two characteristics everyone should enhance:

1. Pride. Not the ego form of pride, but the kind of pride that exudes from you while you work. There were two distinct servers I experienced while in London. One, whom made it very clear they were paid a healthy hourly wage and did not need to impress to earn a tip and one, whom regardless of their pay, wished to serve to the best of their ability. The latter demonstrated a genuine like in what they were doing, something I would have loved to witness more than the former. That was not the case. It left me wondering, where in the world has pride in your work gone? Financial motivation is not the only reason to attempt to exceed others expectations, is it? I sure hope not. Perhaps that is a lesson more should takeaway. There is a level of excellence each person should inject into their work, so others they encounter, are left with no doubt they love what they do. That is the kind of pride worth enhancing.

2. Patience. The great side effect of experiencing extremely slow service by servers who could care less about my tight tourist timeline, was my ability to soak it all in. Ah patience…it is a virtue! I began to more fully understand there is absolutely no reason to be in such a bloody rush you turn rude. Instead, learn to relish in these slower moments to truly appreciate your surroundings and know everything is not in your control (that’s even hard to type for my type A self!) no matter how much you try to make it. Time is limited, you definitely cannot get a refund, but you can choose in each second how you wish to spend it. When required to slow down, even when you really don’t want to or can, you can complain about it or you can capitalize on it. Maybe it’s the international jet lag talking, but being forced to slow down and exhibit patience, facilitated moments to absorb, reflect and connect deeper to my company and surroundings. That is the kind of patience worth enhancing.

Pride and patience are my favorite souvenirs I’m bringing home from this trip. I’m thankful to love what I do and I am confident I demonstrate pride in my work each day, hoping it is felt every time I interact with clients and readers like you! I’m also thankful to have an improved appreciation of patience, because while I can’t gain back my time, I know with a deep breath and appropriate mental approach, I can maximize my waiting with newfound appreciation.

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