From the desk of Kelsey Buell,
What does a mouse and a massage have in common?
If you’re lucky, nothing. 😛
Okay, so you may be wondering…what in the world could this story be all about?
Well, let me start by saying, I had a fun opportunity to recently take a trip with my husband and some friends to Montana.
The weather was great and the company was fantastic, just one problem…as an avid skier and snowboarder, I was filled with extreme FOMO.
You see, I am currently pregnant and although I probably could have gone snowboarding, it was against my better judgment…
So, while my husband and friends took to their adventure and hit the slopes, I anxiously debated what I could do to fill my time.
Then it hit me… “Kelsey, you need to just enjoy the downtime and relax!”
So from there, I decided to look at area spas and see if I might be able to treat myself.
I eventually stumbled upon one of the most luxurious spas in the area. Although I am not one to typically splurge, I decided this was my chance!
Early Saturday morning, I headed over to the spa and was greeted with first class accommodations and a very warm welcome.
The time came for my massage and I took a deep breath and settled into the relaxation of the moment.
Then, I noticed out of the blue, the kind woman who was giving me the massage said a long, drawn-out, “ummmmmmmmmm…..”
For a moment I thought, is she meditating? Maybe I should join her! 😛
But then, the mood shifted.
“I’m not sure what to do about this!” she said, her voice a bit shaky.
I instantly opened my eyes in concern, and there, sitting on top of my feet at the end of the massage table, was a small furry mouse.
She ran to the end of the table to try to shoo the mouse off my feet, and instead of jumping off the massage table, it ran towards my face!
“EEEEK!” I exclaimed as I pulled up the covers over my face.
Thankfully, it scurried off the bed and ran under the door.
Disappearing from the room as fast as it had come in.
Both myself, and the masseuse, were in immense shock for about the next 10 minutes.
Upon finishing the massage, I returned to the main desk to pay for my service.
The cashier told me she would be right back, and returned with the manager. “I am deeply sorry about what happened,” the spa manager said in disgust. “This is just completely unacceptable.”
I could tell how embarrassed she was, and I empathized for her. It was a new operation, and still under construction.
Although a lavish 5-star hotel, they had still made a mistake and somehow allowed a mouse in the massage room.
Due to the inconvenience and traumatic experience, they not only waived the fee for my massage, but offered me some complimentary gifts from the gift shop along with a free lunch at the hotel.
“How can we make this right?” she asked.
I honestly didn’t know how to respond. On the one hand, it was disgusting and disturbing to have encountered a mouse during a massage…
On the other hand, we all make mistakes and truly nothing bad happened.
Nobody died.
So what did I decide to do? I told her, “It is really okay. I promise. Thank you for the complimentary massage and gift,” and I went on my merry way with my day.
So what’s the moral of the story?
Well, it’s really two-fold…
First, I could have gotten really upset. In fact, I could have been furious. This was a luxurious hotel and I should have expected nothing but the best. Instead, I decided to forgive and forget.
In this scenario, it was difficult to do. I could have raised hell and demanded all sorts of perks due to the horrible experience, but to me, it wasn’t worth it.
Second, the hotel spa owned their mistake. They took responsibility for what happened and were determined to do whatever they could to make it right.
Furthermore – even though they are supposed to be the “definition of perfection,” they still messed up.
Why is it important to own your mistakes?
It displays humility and honesty, and it helps you earn respect with your clients and peers. By admitting to a mistake, and taking ownership for it, you will really establish trust.
Also, it’s a mark of leadership. You see, even the best leaders mess up sometimes.A research study found that eighty-one percent of employees considered it important or very important for leaders to admit mistakes.
But I’m perfect, I never make a mistake…
Ha. ha. Right?! We all like to think this, but part of being a human means we will make mistakes.
What’s important is that we learn from them.
My husband asked me the other day, “If you had two options…1) Any mistakes you have made in your life could be completely erased or 2) You can have $10 million dollars, which would you pick?”
It was a very difficult question to answer, but in this case, I went with the $10 million dollars.
Mostly because I feel the mistakes I have made, no matter how painful, have truly shaped me into who I am today.
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