When my kids open the fridge and complain that “there is nothing to eat”, I remind them that there is a big difference between having no food and not having your favorite foods.
It’s the same difference between being homeless and not living in the house of your dreams. Or between having no car and driving a car that doesn’t have a Bluetooth connection to your phone. Where has gratitude gone?
At work, customer-facing employees often complain that they “can’t give any gifts”. Unless they are dealing with government officials, that’s often not true.Their real complaint is that they can’t give the type of gifts that will wow the customer. They forget that gifts are often not required, and that when they are truly necessary, a modest gift is way better than no gift at all.
Any employee believing that a lavish gift is necessary must consider the possibility that they are facing a bribe request.
The Ethical Leader 
YES and . . . Persuasion research suggests that despite what we may believe, we have an obligation to reciprocate when receiving a gift. And we often reciprocate at levels far above the value of what we have received. Reciprocation often involves not just giving a gift, but also granting business favors. A slippery slope indeed!
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