Another part of leading well in uncertainty is to celebrate your wins.
Celebration is a ritual. Rituals are good for us. They steady us. They mark what matters. They strengthen our sense of belonging.
Rituals also focus our attention. Celebrating slows us down long enough to notice what’s gone well. (If you’re someone who, like me, tends to tick the thing — even the very big thing — off your to-do list and move on, this reminder is especially for you!)
Focusing on what’s gone well also settles our nervous system, as it reminds us that not everything is changing at once. If there are parts of our lives that feel like a dumpster fire, there are likely other parts that don’t. It’s good for us to focus on those.
Our negativity bias is so strong. It tries to convince us that negative thoughts are truer than positive ones. It makes us think we are being Pollyanna and living in the land of wishful thinking when we think about what is truly going well. Celebration helps us counter that. It turns our attention away from the gap and toward the gain.
Is this hard for you? Start small. Write your wins down, if ‘going public’ feels like too much. Delegate parties to someone on your team who loves to plan them. Give it a try. Your team will be stronger for it.
And make sure you keep yourself on the list. What do I mean by that? I mean celebrate you, not just everyone else. Leading in uncertainty is hard for most of us, and here you are figuring it out. Way to go!
And occasionally, a BIG celebration is in order. That was the case for our family this past weekend, as we celebrated our daughter Claire’s wedding to her 10-year-boyfriend Jon. They went all out. And it was exactly what the occasion required.
In addition to celebrating, we also need to rest. So, for the next three weeks, you won’t find me in your inbox. Could I write the blog ahead and schedule it to deliver? Yes. Am I going to? No. We all need a break. I hope you miss me a little bit. And if you’re curious what I’m up to, it involves three generations heading to Africa to mark 35 years of marriage. Another milestone worth celebrating, and I’m very grateful.
