In the spirit of Independence Day celebrations, I found myself asking the question:
Why is it that we, for the most part, require national holidays and the special occasions of birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate?
In the work I do, and with the companies I am engaged with, I recognize symptoms of a larger scale disconnect in our behavior and in the expectations of those we work with. We find fault, assess blame, and tend not to provide regular and consistent feedback to the people we rely on. We talk about them instead of talking to them.
Why do we so infrequently celebrate the victories, no matter how small? Perhaps we hold a belief that if we recognize greatness in others, they will want something from us. More money, more time off, more control. Maybe, all they really want is more feedback and acknowledgement when they are doing what is expected of them.
Celebrate what you want – and you will likely get much more of it…