Who Does That? And the Cost of Caring
Feb 20, 2026
Who Does That? And the Cost of Caring
Early morning rain in Santa Rosa, California.
Unusually chilly.
My body was still on East Coast time, wide awake and ready for coffee.
The night before, I had noticed a coffee shop nearby. But in the dark and drizzle, I completely lost my bearings. So I asked the night auditor, who had been up all evening, to point me in the right direction.
He did not just point.
He noticed it was raining.
He anticipated I might need an umbrella.
He stepped away from the desk, searched behind the counter, and offered me his personal umbrella to borrow.
His. Personal. Umbrella.
If I had been awake all night, I am not sure I would have been that thoughtful.
It cost him nothing.
But it changed my entire morning.
And it made me start asking a bigger question.
Who does that? (Thank you Oxford Collection)
Because this was not the only story I heard this week.
And none of them were expensive.
But all of them were unforgettable.
👉 Blog Continues Below
Later that week, I heard a story from my friends at B.F. Saul Hotels.
An outside catering company had forgotten salad dressing for a group event.
Not his department.
Not his responsibility.
Not his mistake.
But one teammate heard about it, grabbed his own car keys, drove to the nearest market, and picked up what was needed.
Crisis avoided.
Event saved.
Guests unaware.
Who does that?
Then Napa.
Stanly Ranch Auberge Collection exceeded my expectations in ways that felt almost choreographed, but I know they were not.
I was waiting in line for a pastry. Four guests ahead of me were debating croissants versus scones.
I was only looking at the cookies.
The barista noticed.
She anticipated.
She overdelivered by beautifully packaging one and offering it on the house.
Later, after using their heated pool, I hurried back toward our room, wrapped in towels, barefoot, shoes in hand, wind cutting across the cement.
Maribel and America looked up from their work.
They noticed I was juggling my shoes.
They anticipated I might not want bare feet on cold concrete.
They overdelivered with a bag and then surprised me with slippers to borrow.
They could have stayed at their computers.
They looked up instead.
Here is what struck me.
None of this was expensive.
Lending a personal umbrella cost zero dollars.
Driving to the market cost a little time and a few cents in gas.
Giving away a cookie might have cost fifty cents in ingredients.
Offering a bag and lending slippers cost pennies.
But the impact?
Story worthy.
Memorable.
Shareable.
The cost of caring is not money.
It is attention.
It is intention.
It is the willingness to look up.
And that is where most people do not.
So how do we adopt this personally and professionally?
Here are a few ideas.
-
Look Up Before You Look Down
Before checking your phone. Before diving into email. Pause and scan. Who looks confused, cold, unsure, overwhelmed?
-
Ask One More Question
What might they need that they are not asking for?
-
Use the 30 Second Rule
If it takes less than 30 seconds to help, just do it.
-
Borrow the Umbrella Standard
When in doubt, give the thing that is yours to give. Time. Reassurance. Encouragement.
-
Make It a Daily Game
Challenge yourself. What is one thing today I can notice, anticipate, and overdeliver?
The irony?
Organizations spend millions trying to engineer loyalty, retention, and reputation.
Yet they are built in the smallest, quietest decisions.
Who does that?
You do.
And that is the difference.
