Today’s Guest Contributor Post is by Mona Reiser. Mona is a former Customer Service and Supply Chain Executive who resides in Atlanta. She now helps other businesses to set them up for success.
“I feel like I don’t let myself marvel in my success.” This quote by F.E.in one of my readings this past Sunday made me stop in my tracks. Taking this quote out of the context of the story itself, is applicable to everyday activities and even more so in leadership.
Do we as individuals stop to marvel at our own successes? Here is a great personal example: I made Shrimp Scampi for the first time ever last night. I don’t know why I waited so long, since it was fairly easy to make. The compliments from the dinner table gave me a good feel (not so for the riced cauliflower though!). So yes, I marveled a bit at my dish and relished in the accolades.
Think back to being 5 years old and getting praises from your parents and family..how you enjoyed that moment. Somehow that changed for me when I was a leader. Did I take the time to marvel at my successes or just move on to the next task at hand? Yes, there were the recognitions at meetings or year end reviews, and the list goes on. But to really to sit back for a minute and let the success wash over you? Have you done that with a successful project completed? It doesn’t even need to be a big project, but it could be scoring a great meeting or contract with a customer that you have been wooing. It may even be a small win, but it still counts!
Do you do this as a leader in your own organization? How do you support, recognize and allow for the “marvel” when one of the team members has a success? Do you allow them to marvel, but more importantly, do you let them recognize that indeed there was a success there?!? Start instituting a culture (within your own department, start local) of recognizing success, even in very small doses and it soon it will build upon itself. It doesn’t always have to be within the context of the office activities. It could be to recognize a volunteer activity, a 5k run, a fundraiser or some other personal victory. You get the picture. Marveling at a success is a powerful leadership tool.