Discover The Power Of Overdelivering

How One Extra Step For Others Can Make You Unforgettable For All The Right Reasons

Written By Bart Berkey | Most People Don't 

You know what I've realized after decades of speaking to leaders, teams, and organizations?

Most people think they're overdelivering when they're actually just... delivering.

And that gap?

That's where you have the opportunity to make others "feel a certain way".

EVERY INTERACTION creates these opportunities... everyday with every single person you encounter.

Your colleagues, your customers, your family, and even strangers.

Let me tell you what I mean.

The Birthday That Changed My Perspective

Picture this: It's my birthday, and I'm sitting alone at a restaurant after being inadvertently stood up (with good reason). Not exactly how you imagine celebrating another year of life, right?

So I did what any rational person would do, I left the restaurant, and went next door to Starbucks.

That's where I met them.

A group of about eight elderly women who noticed me sitting by myself, looking probably more pathetic than I'd care to admit.

You see they've been meeting there every Thursday at 11 am for the past 15 years to gather, connect, and share updates.

I had mistakenly taken "their table." It was a large table, that easily fits 8. I was by myself, working remotely, on my laptop.

Clearly this was "their table", I could tell by the way all of them were looking at me. I could feel it.

However, instead of saying something to me, they proceeded to gather several 2 top tables together to acommodate their group of 8.

I noticed what they were doing, and offered them "my table".

What happened next has stuck with me.

I explained why I was there.

That it was my birthday, and that I was inadvertently stood up.

They graciously accepted the table and insisted that I stay seated with them.

They included me.

They surprised me with their kindness.

They didn't just say "thank you for giving us our table back", and by the way, "Happy Birthday."

They didn't just buy me a coffee for my birthday.

They invited me to stay with them, at their table.

Then, and this is where it gets good...

One of the ladies, unbeknownst to me, left, went to grocery store next door, and bought a cake for me!

She came back in, with a Boston Cream Cake, which happens to be my favorite. (What are the chances?)

Then they all proceeded to sing "Happy Birthday" to me. They didn't even know my name...but it didn't matter.

I don't remember a single present I got that year, I'm sure they were all great.

But I'll always remember their kindness.

That wasn't delivering.

That was overdelivering at its finest.

The Difference Between Good and Great

Here's what most people get wrong: they confuse thoughtful service with overdelivering.

At a recent session, someone shared how a hotel put framed photos of a guest's dog in their room.

The group was impressed, they thought it was overdelivering.

But here's the thing: hospitality has been doing personalized touches like this, for decades.

That's not overdelivering; it is a special touch, but this has become good delivering, many hotels do this now.

Thoughtful, yes.

But not "beyond" which is what "great service" looks like.

True overdelivering is something unexpected.

Something that shows you noticed, anticipated, and cared enough to go further than anyone: including the person receiving it thought was possible.

When "No" Doesn't Mean Stop

During a recent presentation to the leaders of Associated Luxury Hotels International, (ALHI), one of the executives shared a story that perfectly captures this.

They lost a piece of business.

The client chose another hotel.

Game over, right?

Most people would send a polite "thanks anyway" email and move on.

But not this person.

Instead of walking away, they created a detailed client profile.

• They shared valuable market insights with the client: for free.
• They kept advocating for their partner property even when they had nothing immediate to gain.
• They stayed connected, stayed helpful, stayed present.
• That's overdelivering. That's showing commitment when there's no immediate payoff. That's the extra step that changes everything.

The Marathon Moment That Says It All

I showed a video recently that still gives me chills.

Two runners near the finish line of a marathon.

One competitor is struggling, clearly in distress, barely able to stand.

The other runner could have simply helped him up.

That would have been delivering: the right thing to do, the decent thing to do.

But he didn't stop there. He carried him across the finish line and let him finish ahead.

That's overdelivering. That's going beyond what anyone would expect, even beyond what most would consider reasonable. It's the extra step that transforms a moment from good to unforgettable.

What Overdelivering Actually Looks Like

Here's what I've learned.

Overdelivering doesn't mean breaking the bank or grand gestures that make you go broke.

It means three things:

1. Noticing what others miss.

It's about paying attention to the details, the emotions, the unspoken needs that most people rush past.

2. Anticipating what others need.

It's thinking one step ahead, asking, "What would make this person's day better?" or "What would surprise them in the best way?"

3. Acting when most people don't.

It's doing something when everyone else finds an excuse not to. It's the follow-up call, the handwritten note, the extra minute of genuine care.

The Small Things That Aren't Small

Some of my favorite examples of overdelivering cost almost nothing:

• Remembering someone's birthday when they don't expect you to and making a phone call instead of sending an email.
• Following up on a casual conversation from weeks ago with no expectations in mind.
• Sending an article that made you think of someone, "just because"
• Taking time to really listen when everyone else is rushing to the next thing and may be consumed in their own heads with worry
• Saying "You're doing great" when someone needs to hear it the most

These aren't expensive, they're not complicated. But they make a difference.

And that's exactly what makes them powerful.

The Business Case for Going Further

Look, I'm not just talking about being nice here. This actually works. Overdelivering creates:

• Loyalty that can't be bought
• Word-of-mouth marketing that money can't generate
• Relationships that last decades, not transactions
• A reputation that opens doors you didn't even know existed

When you consistently overdeliver, you don't just get customers or clients.

You get advocates.

You get people who refer others without being asked.

You get the kind of business relationships that sustain you through tough times and propel you during good ones.

You get text messages the following morning after your presentation from Shelly T. from San Diego while on the plane who shares: "you inspired me to be in action today".

Meaning you made a difference to me.

Your Turn

So, here's my challenge for you this week. Look at your clients, your colleagues, your family, your friends. Ask yourself this question:

Am I just delivering, or am I overdelivering?

Because here's what I know,

• Most People Deliver when they feel like it, Overdeliver When It's Convenient
• Under-Deliver When Life Gets Busy

But you? You're not Most People

You have the opportunity right now to take that extra step.

• To notice what others miss
• To anticipate what others need
• To act when Most People find an excuse not to

The difference between good and great, between memorable and forgettable, between ordinary and extraordinary: it's often just one extra step.

The question is:

Are you willing to take it?

Because Most People Don't, but you can.

And when you do, you'll discover what I've learned over and over again:

That extra step?

It changes everything.

For More Inspiration:

🎧 Listen to This Week’s Episode #199: Ulric Musset, Founder of Marblism and Mr. AI Employees to get your work done smarter.

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