“Me, a cheerleader? This is a big operation and we all know our responsibilities. Our job is to work, not party.”
In most organizations, executives celebrate annual results and sales teams celebrate new accounts. But celebrations that occur among the vast majority of employees are usually limited to occasional cake and ice cream on birthdays.
Many executives have seen that when people are allowed to have parties or special lunches, work assignments are put on hold while the planning takes place. A common feeling is that the best part of celebrations is when they are over so that people can re-focus on the jobs for which they are paid. This thinking is based on decades of conditioning and has become quite “ordinary”.
Executives who want their company to be extraordinary, however, should consider the following truth:
Celebrating progress and success brings more of it.
The Rationale:
1. People like to be part of a winning team. And winning brings celebrations. It is difficult to imagine a winning sports team that does not celebrate. If celebrations were not allowed, athletes would be less motivated. There is a good reason why teams usually win more often when they play at home. The crowd cheers them on and encourages them to perform even better.
2. Celebrations lift spirits and bring life to a company. When cheering is regularly heard in the halls of a company, people rarely feel disrupted. In fact, they feel energized. Great performers, who can easily work anywhere, want to be part of organizations that are full of life and success.
3. When people celebrate achievements, they instinctively feel proud and want to do what it takes to succeed again. It is only human to want to succeed. And since celebrations commemorate success, they serve as catalysts for more of it. Every executive wants their company to achieve its goals, so creating a culture of celebration helps yield consistent accomplishments, year after year.
4. Celebrations cause people to become attached to a company with their hearts, which results in ultimate performance. When people celebrate, their emotions take over. And emotions are much stronger than either money or fear. Organizations full of people who are emotionally attached to their goals, their teams and their company, will considerably outperform competitors who expect their people to execute because they are being paid.
Although moving to an environment of celebration can seem uncomfortable at first, it is usually one of the most readily accepted changes to a company’s culture. The following are some important steps toward progress:
– Set an example by openly celebrating achievements with employees.
– Track progress and hold special company-wide celebrations for major accomplishments.
– Allow teams to set their own goals and to celebrate their progress and success.
– Encourage tasteful team cheering within the office, warehouse and factory floor.
– Be aware that certain sophisticated teams, such as those comprised of information technology or engineering people, may not be comfortable with outright cheering. Let them celebrate their progress and success in their own ways.
CREATE A COMPANY THAT CELEBRATES.
Dale Quarto has over 30 years of executive experience. As a former CEO, he grew his company from a small local information provider to one of the largest in its industry with over 1,500 employees. After selling his company, Dale devotes his time to helping other organizations achieve stellar success by adding structure and best practices business acumen. In particular, Dale focuses on helping small to medium size companies grow to reach their long-term objectives according to a well planned and executed strategy.