Category Archives: Making a difference, Making an impact

Showcasing how anyone can make a difference or impact onthe world around them.

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Outback Steakhouse – Lee’s Summit, MO

I don’t usually think that a blog about a restaurant is exciting so I tend to just do a review and move on, but I think tonight’s outing calls for a little more than a basic review.

Dinner tonight was a long time coming. My mom and I were out running errands all over the Kansas City Metro area. We started out in Leawood / Overland Park and ended up in Lee’s Summit by way of Independence. For those not from KC, it equals one end the metro area to the other.

We had just left Raytown Wal-Mart and I had suggested going to dinner before we ran to the barn so I could feed the horses. Mom suggested going to the barn first so that I wouldn’t have to feed them in the dark. I felt bad because it would mean we would be eating even later, but she said that was fine.

We left the barn with a destination of Monetti’s in Lee’s Summit in mind. Outback had entered my mind (in Independence) but I wanted to do a local restaurant. Imagine my surprise to find it was closed and a German restaurant was coming soon. As we passed the Outback to get to Monetti’s, I commented to my mom that I had forgotten about that location but I wasn’t sure why when I always think it’s the best one in the KC area every time I eat there. She asked if it was because the food was better and I said, “No, the food at most Outbacks are about the same but there is something about the service at that one….it’s better…even though most Outbacks have good service”. We left it at that and continued down the road to Monetti’s.

After finding it closed, I said, I’m too hungry to find another local restaurant and we headed to Outback.

I have to say that I am VERY happy that we ended up there tonight. It started with a very friendly waitress named Jamie. My mom saw that the tilapia came with a lump of lobster or crab (I can’t remember) but she doesn’t like that, so she was going with the Mahi even though she had never had it before. While I am all for her trying something new, I know my mom. She will NOT send something back, even if she does not like it or if it is prepared wrong. I knew she was hungry, so I wanted her to get something she would enjoy. Jamie was great and understood the problem and came up with a solution for my mom. She was able to key the Tilapia in without the additional items so mom would like her meal.

As we were waiting for our soup / salad, I checked my emails and realized I had received a coupon for a free dessert from Outback for my birthday. Even better!

Our entrees came out and they both looked great. As I do not eat anything from the water, it’s sometimes difficult for me to comment on any fish or seafood meal, but I have to say mom’s tilapia looked picture perfect. As I went to fold the butter and cheese into my mashed potatoes I noticed it didn’t melt right away. I wasn’t concerned until I went to take a bite. They weren’t cold, but just a little cool. I cut into my steak, ordered medium rare, and took a bite. It too was a little cool. Not cold. Just slightly cool. Not the standard I’m used to from Outback but I decided to eat it rather than send it back and have it cooked more. Jamie came out and I inquired if my meal had sat out a little waiting for the tilapia. She said it hadn’t. She offered to get me some new potatoes but I told her it was ok. I am not shy to send something back if it isn’t right. I chose not to send this back because it was prepared so well, just cool.

A few minutes later, John, the manager came out and inquired about our meals. I said they were fine but he asked me again so I repeated my story. He again offered to fix it. I appreciated his concern but said they were fine. He then offered us a dessert on him. I smiled and explained the email for the free dessert. He said to save the email for another visit and let him take care of the dessert. I thanked him and he left.

A few minutes later, Jamie came out with some fresh, hot, potatoes for me. I was surprised and thanked her. Surprisingly, they were not OVERHEATED. They were perfect.

We ordered our dessert (the sampler) which was great as well.

While I was waiting for the dessert, I started this post. I wanted to make sure to recognize the outstanding service provided to us tonight. So often, we are quick to point out negative and not always highlight the positive.

As we left, I commented to my mom that the service we received was the example of why I say that location is one of my favorite locations. As we discussed it a little more; it hit me. It’s not just the service they provide there, it’s the Sincerity in their service.

Thank you Outback for allowing your associates the ability to handle all situations, not just the complaints and thank you to Jaime and John for your outstanding attention to excellence.

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With Apology comes Responsibility & Accountability

I watch or read the news and see a lot of insincere apologies. When did we stop caring about people and more about press and image? In my opinion, lack of respect for every individual is the cornerstone of so many tragedies.

Blood, pain, realistic scenes are not going away from our media sources. They are integrated in the television shows , movies, and music that we see everyday. Shock value had a place in our society so we have to learn to accept it. What we don’t have to accept is the lack of teaching in spite of the shock value system. We just have to learn to teach WITH it.

Change happens, teaching values & morals seems to have stopped.

We can still teach alongside change. It has happened for years. Think for a minute about electricity. Prior to electricity, parents taught their children to respect flames / fire. Children were taught, at the appropriate age, how to light a candle, an oil lamp wick, or even a fire in the fireplace, when light in a room was needed. Once electricity came along, the everyday need for teaching and using fire went away. FIRE didn’t go away, just the need for it everyday. Now our ancestors could have said….I don’t know about this electricity thing; It’s EVERYWHERE….let’s stop teaching our children respect of fire. It’s not needed anymore. Thankfully, they did not do that! They continued to teach children respect for fire and how to use it properly so when fire was needed (electricity goes out) they latched on to their knowledge of fire and used it without burning the house down.

I believe we need to see more examples of accountability to stop this dangerous slide of tragic endings.

I believe there are ways to help stop this downward spiral by holding people truly accountable, not just fiscally. For example: When an automaker knowingly allows the continued manufacturing of a faulty piece and it results in long term damage or fatality….they no longer get to stand up on a podium, say they are sorry, pay a fine to the government and the victim(s), and move on. Fiscal punishment does nothing to them. They still collect their salaries. They still collect their bonuses.

Here is my proposal. The minute a company is found guilty of negligence and it is determined that they had knowledge of it’s defect and kept manufacturing, then all parties involved are given a mandatory two year salary increase freeze and they are not allowed to collect any bonus. Those bonus dollars are garnished and given to the victims or their families. A “sorry” on the podium isn’t enough. They have to go and meet with each victim (or their surviving immediate family members) one on one, face to face and apologize. Each party found guilty of the knowledge has to do it individually, not as a group. If they are a manufacturing plant, they have to stop production for two weeks, yet every employee gets paid their average weekly rate during the shutdown AND they are not allowed to raise their wholesale rates for one year. Those guilty need to feel the loss, not the associates who did anything wrong.

Apologies have to mean something. This starts at a young age and goes through adult hood. Just the words, “I’m sorry” have lost their true meaning for so many. Much of this is due to lack of respect. If children don’t respect their parents, they will never respect others as they grow up. Without respect, there is no care if another person is injured or even killed. This has to stop.

Think about your life. Do YOU respect everyone around you? You don’t have to like them to respect them. Are you teaching any minors around you to respect others or do you laugh when they disrespect someone or even encourage it? Every time you do, you add to the future problems.

Accountability for ones actions, responsibility for self and others, and respect of all living things will help to change this society we live in. What can you do to help?

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One Person CAN make a Difference

All to often people gripe. Now don’t get me wrong, I can b*tch about things with the best of them but I try to keep that short lived. It doesn’t get you anywhere. Yes, it might help you feel better as you rant, unless it sends your blood pressure skyrocketing…then you really are not feeling better, but in the end, you are back where you started.

I’m a fixer by nature. In my head, I see a problem, I want to solve it. I see a need, I want to come up with a solution. In reality, these problems are not always huge, world dilemma, problems; they might be a problem that only affects one person, but to that one person, THEY have a problem.

It is easy to shrug off a problem. It is easy to say “I’m only one person, what can I do?” Sometimes it’s easier to think “let someone more qualified do it”. Of course, it is important to THINK before you act. There is something to be said about qualification. You can’t start cutting into someone because they need an operation, your solution would be to help arrange the transportation, after care, etc.

The solutions are not always that easy, the problems not always that obvious, but all it takes is to get started. Not put it off, not say, let someone else handle it….but to really try.

I have a gift (or a curse, depending on how you look at it) of being able to quickly analyze a situation or problem and play out various paths of possibilities. In a way, it’s like those books I read as a child, if you open door 1, go to page 32 / door 2, go to page 46. In a matter of seconds in my brain, I have potential problems that result from my hypothetical solution, I am able to see the various paths the solutions can go, AND sometimes I can go so far that I can see that the solution would only be short term and have to start thinking long term.

Do I have the answers to life’s problems? Absolutely not. No one does. That’s what this blog is about. It’s about ONE person making a difference. It is not about ME making a difference.

This blog has a couple of different steps. I want to start showcasing the people you see that are making a difference. Perhaps it is someone in your community making a difference. It doesn’t matter if they are making a difference for one person or for a multitude. We need to encourage, motivate, and uplift those that have the courage to step out of the box and decided to make a difference.

If you have a story to share, here are some ways:

Post the story in the comments.

Tweet the story with the hashtag:
#OnePersonImpactingOthers

Share the story on my Facebook page:
Facebook.com/HaliPawz
With the comment One Person Making a Difference

We need to encourage others to start making a difference for another person in a positive way. Too much negativity out there. Let’s be positive and make an impact!