Celebrate

"Let's make sure we take time to celebrate our wins from this past year." It's a phrase we hear reiterated so often this time of year as we wind down for the holidays and gear up towards the next that it can feel cliche. But, it is important, even critical that we do this. Here's 2 reasons.

• Research by Heaphy and Losada identified that for high-performing teams the ideal ratio of positive to critical feedback was 5:1. Positive feedback, delivered here by the recollection of individual or team victories, boosts motivation. The celebration of wins inherently encourages more of the same. And motivation has a number of carry-through effects that are both direct to the team (higher 360 feedback scores) but also beneficial to the business at large (stronger financial performance).
• As it relates to development and behavior change, a key that drives improvement is the realization and mental shift that you can be the person you're aspiring to be. If you have goals to be a stellar public speaker, remembering a time when you gave a stellar presentation reinforces to you the idea that, not only can you do it but, you are already a stellar public speaker. Having this new default state of mind is like a super power.

So, here's to you, for whatever win you found this year. And here's to many more wins to come.