Celebrate Much?

“Let’s all celebrate and have a good time.” – From the philosopher Kool (of "& the Gang")

One of the best things about being on a team is the camaraderie that goes along with working and training and sweating it out together— all in the name of a win.

This is just as true at work as it is on the field. Yes, your soccer team has goals, but so does your business. Sure, your baseball team can knock one out of the park, but so can your sales team. Is your tennis partner feelin’ the love? So should your staff and employees.

Okay, maybe this sports metaphor thing is getting a little out of hand. But hang in there, because we’re about to add Kool & the Gang into the mix.

How many times have you heard that super catchy Celebration song at a wedding reception or other such event worth recognizing? Too many to count, right? And doesn’t always make you feel just a little bit happy? (It’s okay. You can admit it.)

The thing is, our work teams don’t pull out the celebration song nearly often enough. To keep people feeling motivated, excited and appreciated, they need to be recognized for incremental successes along the way. Imagine if your hometown team made it to the Super Bowl, but you only cheered them on at the end of each quarter. Or worse yet, the end of the game. That would be crazy!

Don’t wait... celebrate!

There’s a reason we don’t watch football in complete silence, then scream and high five after the big win.

We cheer in anticipation of the win
We cheer to inspire the team
We cheer when it looks like there’s no winning in sight but we still believe in the players
We cheer because we know the team will draw from the positive energy we put out and do their best to make something happen

Besides, cheering just makes the whole game a lot more fun.

It’s the same for your company team. Don’t wait for your annual reviews or quarterly meetings to celebrate what they’re doing well.