Leaders should consider spending more time celebrating achievements within their teams and organizations instead of rushing headlong into whatever is next. Granted, the anticipation of charging ahead can be exciting. The pace, however, may leave people exhausted and feeling under appreciated. Is what we just accomplished worth anything? Is it only about the next goal or new theme?

The coming weeks are a good time of the year to identify and celebrate:
• successes (large or small)
• progress along the path
• what was attempted and learned

Thank team members for their efforts. Share memories of how it happened. Enjoy celebrating together.

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” Tom Peters

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One key reason teenage drivers crash four times more often than older drivers is an underdeveloped skill of scanning – glancing around for 360 degree awareness. Leaders can struggle with the same weakness in an organizational sense. Disruptive ideas, be it innovation opportunity or business model threat, will most likely come from outside your industry.

More experienced leaders are better prepared to understand significant outside developments and how they apply. However, it requires looking around. These activities can help you hone scanning skills:

• Read or skim a wide variety of magazines
• Talk to people in different industries
• Attend other industry conferences

“Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.” Booker T. Washington

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People easily identify my children as belonging to me. In addition to physical distinctions, we share a few marked behaviors and attitudes. When I’m bothered by what I see in my children (e.g., lack of follow through or resistance to change), I try to examine myself as the leader.

Similarly, in organizations employees may take on the characteristics of their leaders. Are you annoyed with certain behaviors, reactions or attitudes you see in people you lead? Consider, these could be “chips” from your leadership block.

If we want to see different chips we must be willing to change the block.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams

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