QUESTION

I’m not very good at celebrating wins—large or small. It’s hard to justify taking time away from future accomplishments or efficiencies.

And, I see the impact this has on the team. They burn out, and so do I. Given I have an unrelenting schedule how do I fit it in?

ANSWER

We are bombarded by images and definitions of what success should look like—from our families, to our entertainment, to our work groups. Yet when we have a chance to deepen into our own successes with our teams, we de-prioritize it. We often point to a lack of time when it comes to people or things we are actively de-prioritizing from our lives. It’s worth reflecting on why we do that.

In the end, people need to know their work matters.

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.
– Peter Drucker, Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation

Dedication grows when employees have a chance to contribute. Completing a task well carries its own reward. It feels good to finish things. Wrapping up a project, accomplishing something, increases job satisfaction in a way that even pay increases can't touch. Solving tough problems can be particularly motivating. The result? People put more heart in their work.

Create a work environment where people can achieve, and you create a climate of dedication. Every little accomplishment increases a person's sense of fulfillment. Successes, even the small ones, breed more commitment to the job.

Employees want to know they matter--that their contribution is making a difference. Contribution gives meaning to work. Even if their accomplishments seem mundane to you, what counts is whether completing a task carries personal significance for the doer.

Doing things and going them right naturally motivates people. Achieving something is satisfying even when no one's watching. The accomplishment one feels in the process of learning, doing, and succeeding can be the best payoff, even beyond tangible rewards. Research studies of video gaming, for example, show that rewarding high scores with free games does little to increase playing or paying. People put their quarters in to see how well they can do. The best players play against themselves because they are in pursuit of their skill and craft.

Build dedication in your workgroup, team, or organization by giving people meaningful assignments they can carry to successful completion. Don't let change or the fear of change immobilize employees. Your organization won't sputter and stall from lack of commitment if you feed people's need to achieve.

MORE THOUGHTS…

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.
— Robert Collier, American author
Success is not final, failure is not final: it is the courage to continue that counts.
— Winston Churchill, British politician, army officer, and writer

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
— Napoleon, French statesman and military leader

Remember to recognize the small successes that you will have. Don't let the brightness of that big goal blind you to what happens on the way toward the goal. Meet one wave at a time and enjoy what progress you make. I want you please not to be taken up in the undertow of pessimism.
— Lucille Ball, American actress, comedienne, model, entertainment studio executive and producer

REMEMBER

Small wins provide a sense of accomplishment. If you are always focused on the horizon, you never have a sense of how close you are to your destination. You are truly always living in the future and never in the present. That's what makes smaller wins so important—much like beating most of the teams during a season leads to the ultimate championship.

PRACTICE

Consider if and how you acknowledge small wins today. What was the last small victory you took notice of? How did it feel? Where were you in reaching your ultimate goal—were they early wins? Did you ever stop to notice any wins before you achieved your accomplishment?

CONNECT

Talk to a friend or trusted colleague about ways in which you can celebrate small wins. Consider examples of teams and organizations you’ve served in where progress toward a major accomplishment was truly acknowledged and felt. Having examples makes it easier to define. And if you can define it, you can start to move toward it!

REFLECT

If you keep a journal for your own development, write down some small wins you have had this week or month. Think about how your team or organization would function if you started incorporating the idea of small wins in your discussions. Where are they most appropriate? Why?

To perform well while under pressure, we need to develop habits to work more effectively. Making the right decisions, engaging with others effectively, learning to manage our own emotions takes practice.

Driving Dedication During Change: A pocket guide for becoming an effective linchpin enables you with all the tools and tactics you need to make your interactions less stressful and more effective.