When Champagne Turns to Sour Grapes
Dec 12, 2025
Written By Bart Berkey | Most People Don't
Most People Don’t… Newsletter by Bart Berkey
Earlier this week, I watched a moment that should have been sweet, but it turned sour instantly.
I watched as someone that was seated in First Class looked awkward while his "apparent" team sat several rows back in Coach. My perception is that it was perhaps the "leader" of those that were sitting WAY, WAY, WAY behind him.
Mid-flight, he decided to 'do something nice'.
He walked back, holding one glass of champagne.
One.
He handed it to a single team member, although others were also onboard. The recipient tried to look grateful, but you can easily see it was uncomfortable.
And then he returned to his seat in First Class.
The moment he disappeared behind the curtain, the eye-rolls started.
Quiet murmurs followed.
One glass. One outstretched arm. One team suddenly divided. It was clear by the interactions and the same logoed items that they were traveling together.
Incentive trip for who?
Who are we celebrating?
Who’s being recognized here?
What was meant to show appreciation instead looked like hierarchy.
What was intended to have bonded them instead appeared to create distance.
What should have been a toast to the "best of the best"... fell flat.
The intention was good; he didn't mean any harm.
But intention without inclusivity can sting.
Throughout the flight, he kept coming back to visit, to talk but....
You could tell it became more of an annoyance. The image of him sweeping away the curtain divider was beginning to upset his team.
Just stay there.
It made me think, how could this boss done things differently? Maybe he set up a random opportunity for his team members to win his FIRST CLASS SEAT? Maybe he could've purchased all FIRST CLASS SEATS for his team and then sit himself intentionally in Coach?
Perception:
A great leader offers recognition, consistency, fairness, and presence.
A great leader knows that moments matter, and so do optics.
Recognition isn’t about making one person feel special.
It’s about making the whole team feel worthy and appreciated.
What Actually Happened Next?
Nothing dramatic.
The plane kept flying.
The attitude of the team seemed to shift, before they even touched down at their vacation destination.
An incentive trip designed to celebrate the team started with a sour sip.
But for that team?
It wasn’t about the champagne.
It was about what the moment represented.
Recognition isn’t selective. It’s shared.
Leadership isn’t being in front. It’s lifting people up.
Although as I'm typing this our return flight had been cancelled due to aircraft technical issues, we were lucky enough to have 3 seats upgraded before the cancellation. There are 4 of us traveling.
After seeing what occurred on our outbound trip, I gave up my FIRST CLASS UPGRADE to my son, who rarely gets to experience such luxury while traveling. At this point, I'm the only one slated to be in Coach.
l did not want to "divide" my team/my family. As fate would have it, and a very thoughtful spouse, my wife asked if they had any flexibility to keep us together. Now the entire family would be able to enjoy the upgrade... until the flight was cancelled. But I learned this lesson from "looking up" and "observing" from the story shared.
The Reminder for All of Us:
Recognition should feel inclusive, not exclusive.
A team should feel uplifted, not divided. A family should feel uplifted, not divided.
If you’re planning year-end celebrations or incentive trips or even small team acknowledgements, simply remember this.
How will you make every team member feel seen this season?
Most People Don’t… think about the impact of the little moments.
But YOU do.
And that makes all the difference.
🎧 Listen to This Week’s Podcast Episodes:
Most People Don't...but YOU Do!
#211 "You Can Do Anything — Just Not Everything at Once"
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