18/02/2026
20 Years in Hospitality Taught Me One Small but Powerful Trick…
In all my 20 years in hospitality, I’ve learned something magical: if you want something done, call people “my dear.”
It started back in sales & marketing when coordinating conference packages. Need a menu adjusted maybe an extra item like donuts or an extra meat option? I’d sit with the chef, politely tweak things, and suddenly we’d create a menu that truly sold our package. Competitors? They’d stick to standard offerings.
I noticed something else: calling my banquet staff “my dear” worked wonders. They arranged faster, cleaned faster, smiled wider. It became a habit chefs, water guys, gas delivery, even bus conductors… everyone became a little more cooperative with a little warmth.
But here’s the funny part. Recently, I called someone “my dear” in a conversation where we weren’t exactly friends. I used it to be a little condescending and they immediately stopped me:
“Nyce, I am not your dear! Please don’t call me that!”
I didn’t get offended… at first. I ignored it and continued. But five days later, I realized aha! this works both ways. That small word carries meaning, intent, and energy.
It’s the same word we use in letters: “Dear Sir, Dear Madam…” but in conversation, it’s human, it’s relational, and yes, it can be a tiny power move.
20 years of hospitality taught me that small gestures, small words, and genuine warmth make a huge difference. And sometimes, the smallest words are the hardest to navigate outside the workplace 😅.
💡 Lesson: never underestimate the power of a simple “my dear.” Just be mindful where, when, and how you use it.