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When the word accountability gets mentioned, we think mistake
– Whose fault is it?
Who’s to blame? Who needs to be punished? It doesn’t
have to be. Actually it can be just the opposite. What worked?
Who contributed and how will it set us up for future success?
What can we celebrate?
I learned this when I played baseball. At the close of each
season, we had an “awards night.” All the ballplayers,
coaches and family members got together to review the best
parts of the season. It didn’t matter if we won the championship.
We always had an awards night.
At this ceremony, we acknowledged individual’s successes
and the funny incidents that happened on and off the field;
our version of bloopers. We demonstrated our humanness and
had a good laugh. By the end of the evening, we had cried,
hugged and shared a meaningful moment. We acknowledged we
made a difference in each others’ lives.
In reviewing the “best” parts of the season, we
didn’t only focus on the great players. We celebrated
the effort of all. We celebrated our ability to overcome a
setback. We celebrated progress. Willingness. Everyone who
made it to the end of the season was included. We realized
how we each played a part in whatever level of success the
team achieved. I always left those evenings feeling good about
myself, knowing that I did the best I could. I also left encouraged
that I could do better next season. It was a great way to
end the year.
I rarely see this done in organizations or among my friends
and their families. We beat ourselves up for what we did wrong
much faster than we celebrate what we did well. It has become
a habit – a non supportive one. When we aren’t being
criticized from our boss, our team or our family, we criticize
ourselves. Now is the opportunity to start a new habit --
a habit of celebration.
At our office we keep a running list of our own celebrations.
The list is emailed around and individuals add their accomplishments
and read some of the others. In the simplest way, it breathes
in a great sense of satisfaction and progress.
As we reach the conclusion of the year, it is a great time
to begin your own process of celebration. At work, you can
do this with your team and at home, with your family. Since
we can be our own harshest critic, why not choose to be our
own best supporter? Great value comes from doing this for
yourself even if no one else sees your list. Feel free to
include on the list your work related accomplishments as well
as personal. Your celebration list acknowledges both your
accomplishments and improvements, as well as moments when
you prevailed over areas of stress and great challenge. Celebrating
recovery from blunders we make and mishaps we experience in
our lives is one of the best ways we can support ourselves.
List five things you have done at work or at home that you
feel good about. It could be the way you supported a coworker
when they needed assistance, or the way you completed a project
on time. It might be simply the choice of food you made at
lunch or the way you didn’t have a drink and got home
safely. You might find that your list exceeds 5 reasons to
celebrate!
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