Win the wins.
Thoughts on celebrating and rewarding good work
In my last post I shared 3 quick ideas for leaders navigating challenging times. While challenge and change are constants in our work as leaders, I relish the chance to dwell in positivity with you. In this post, let’s explore what you can do as a leader when you see your team members winning, in big ways and small ways. What makes these wins important and how can you positively reinforce and celebrate them? Here are a few ideas to help you “win the wins” as a leader.
Win the wins.
Why dedicate a post to making the most of a win? As humans we are hardwired to focus on the negative - we often require deliberate nudges to attend to the positive. You can take this as your sign to pause and focus on the positive! Additionally, as we try to encourage sustained behavior change in those we lead, we need all the tools at our disposal - not just negative constructive feedback, but also the enormous power of positive constructive feedback. I’d encourage you to seize the opportunity to celebrate wins - use them to your advantage as a leader. It will feel great all around, and have a meaningful impact on those you lead, as well as boost the performance of your team.
Personalize.
Knowing what motivates your team members is a great place to start when it comes to celebrating wins. For some it might be a small gift, others public recognition, or a private thank you note from a senior leader. To be efficient with your time, energy, and budget, reflect on each team member’s key motivators. Try this: Write out a list of your team members. Spend a few minutes reflecting on yourself and on each team member and what the key motivators are. Jot down notes. Some reflection questions to guide you: What makes me/them feel most appreciated at work? What kind of gestures from teammates or leaders mean the most to me/them? For those you have a strong sense of, you can check your hypothesis by asking. For those you don’t know as well, how might you learn more about what motivates them? What will you ask in your next 1:1?
Leverage others.
We don’t have to lead all on our own - we can lean on others to help. Celebrating wins is a great example of where bringing others in can be powerful (and fun!). For example, draft a note highlighting the positive behavior and ask a skip-level leader to send it, or have peers nominate each other for awards. Consider: How might you bring in your peers, members of your team, and your manager (and skip level or other senior leaders) to help you celebrate wins? If you are the most senior, how are you supporting other leaders by offering the power of your voice and time?
As you explore ways to celebrate wins - big and small - I’d invite you to be sincere and specific in your feedback. I hope these ideas support you in the joyful, intentional work celebrating the great wins of those you lead.
Onward,
Emily
About this newsletter: A Human Endeavor is a newsletter that I write about leadership - it is imperfect. For me, it is an exercise in reflection, clarification, sharing, learning, growing, and being of service to others.
If you are interested in exploring 1:1 Leadership Coaching with me or a leadership development workshop for your team - I’d love to chat with you. Please reach out to me at emily@osomar.com or you can use this link to find some time.
