To help people believe they can achieve victory, put them in a position to experience small successes. John C Maxwell
It is easy to take the time to celebrate big milestones but so often we as teams and individuals forget to celebrate the small wins. That is a big mistake! If you want to develop a team motivated to win, the habit of celebrating small successes is essential. Here’s why… Big wins normally take a lot of work and a substantial amount of time. Our brains are not wired very well for long-term focus. It is easy to get discouraged and tired.
Large wins are great to celebrate but the feeling of joy only lasts a short time and then it is back to a long stretch of work and another big goal. However, if as a leader you encourage celebrating the small wins along the way it’s a whole lot more motivating and fun.
Theresa M. Amabile from The Harvard Business School conducted a study and analyzed almost 12,000 diary entries from 238 employees in 7 companies. Teresa then released her study and called it “The Progress Principle“. Her study showed that tracking small victories each day increased employees’ motivation. Along with increased motivation employees reported higher levels of self-confidence. A team with high motivation and self-confidence? The odds of that team being high-performing are something I would bet on!
As a leader it is important to choose ways of celebrating which fit you and your team’s personality. Here are a few examples…I worked with a leader who has a gong in the office. Every time a sale is made the team who made the sale gets to hit the gong. ( A small but very fun reward.) Another client I worked with had a train whistle. When a team member finished a piece of their software project the whistle was blown and everyone cheered. Another leader had a “Success White Board.” She encouraged team members to write down successes daily.
If you are a new leader find ways for your team to win fast. You want to begin to build a culture and expectation of success from the first week on. Constant celebration of small wins will amp your team’s energy and remind people that each step is important to the end goal. It’s the journey not just the destination.
Steps to Take:
1. Make a list of ways you like to celebrate success.
2. Brainstorm with your team ways they like to celebrate.
3. Set the expectation that this is a team which experiences success often.
4. Put a process of celebration in place.
5. Let the success and celebrations begin!
Have an Amazing Monday (and everyday!)
Leanna Fredrich, Leadership, Career and Stress-Management Consultant
Leanna@amazingmondays.com