Manila, 21 July 2021 — How celebration makes you a better leader.

Story

It happened last week. Collab Leaders from around the world were sharing their experiences of what happens when they eat together with colleagues and partners. They agreed that the practice of celebration brings enjoyment and several other benefits. 

In the context of their task to influence a positive change at work as part of the #Grow3Leaders Challenge, some Collab Leaders said that eating together was a sign that trust had been built, thereby opening the door for collaboration. It could also be a step towards building trust. At heart, coming together to eat was seen as a celebration of our shared humanity.

In Three Daily Wins and Why Celebration Matters, we explored why and how I and other leaders make celebration a part of our daily and weekly practice. This year, I am grateful for the many precious moments of celebration in 1:1 and group coaching calls, including those in #Grow3Leaders. Let’s explore how we can tap the benefits of celebrating together even during these challenging pandemic times. 

Challenge

If celebrating progress and achievements with your colleagues comes naturally, good on you, and keep it up.

Most leaders I work with, however, don’t feel a natural urge to celebrate. So they neglect to make this part of their leadership practice. That’s often because they are focused all the time on making more progress, catching up on delayed work, and starting on the next challenge already. 

Celebrating, for most leaders, is more difficult than it should be. Here are three challenges that leaders can overcome. First, to see the need and benefits of celebration and make time for it every day and week. Second, to proactively create 10 ways to celebrate — from quick to elaborate — to help you get into it quickly when the time is right. And third, to build a culture of celebration with your colleagues, and watch how wellness, engagement, and performance will steadily increase.

Question

On a scale of 1-10, how do you score yourself on regularly celebrating progress and achievements: 1) individually, and 2) together with your colleagues?

Looking forward to hearing from you.