How to Recognize and Celebrate Success: The Feeling of Achievement

Do you ever wonder what to do when your team exceeds quota? Or when you close an account you have been after the past three years? Or when you hit a new personal best record?

Is a pizza party enough? Do you just send out a thank you email to the team? Do you sign up for a company cruise?

This article will break down how to make the most out of success and how to ensure that no one feels underrepresented.

Step 1: Realize that You Have Just Achieved Success

The last time I succeeded in something I was after, I received this adrenaline rush that made me believe I could run faster than Usain Bolt and jump off a plane without a parachute – it is one great feeling!

Realizing that you have achieved success can be simple – did your sales team meet or exceed quota? The numbers don’t lie… Did you shed those 10lbs you have been after? The scale doesn’t lie… Were you awarded government funding? The wins don’t lie… However, what about if your goal was something that you cannot quantify, such as becoming a better leader?

The first thing anyone must do when setting a goal is to clearly understand when and how they will be successful.

If your goal is to become a better leader, then you must ask yourself: What must I achieve to become this “better leader?” It doesn’t have to be quantifiable, but my go-to trick is to ask your manager or someone you trust to watch your progress and have them share with you if you have become this sought out “better leader” through their subjective point of view.

Once you do realize you are successful, then move on to the next step.

Step 2: Be Humble and Give Credit

The next thing you have to do is be grateful for what you and your team have achieved. Thank everyone around you and most importantly, make sure everyone feels appreciated for the hard work they have put in.

As a leader, making sure everyone feels appreciated is important to ensure the success fuels your team’s drive to take greater steps towards the next goal.

So how do you show appreciation? It can start with a thank you email, but it should not necessarily end there depending on the size of the success. If you just exceeded quota, consider a one-day getaway trip to something they like and not to something YOU like. Do they like puzzles? Send them to an escape room. Do they like sports? Send them to a Toronto Maple Leafs game.

If this success has transformed the company and is a milestone, then think even bigger! Get on a plane and take an all-inclusive vacation.

And remember, a big bonus cheque is not always the answer, because the team member may not want money, but would rather prefer an experience. So first, understand what your team would appreciate, then award them accordingly.

Step 3: Use the Success for the Next Goal

Now that everyone is enjoying themselves, you must think to yourself: How do we keep this going to fuel us to our next goal?

You must leverage this win to make you stronger and take you one step closer to your next goal.

Think about it – you go out for your first run in 10 years and you struggle with your first 2km run. You then want to improve on your time and the next time you run, you beat your time by 30 seconds! And now you tell yourself, I want to run 5km! You wanting to become a better runner in this instance is exactly what it means to use your current success to fuel your next goal. This is your drive to continue to improve and to continue to succeed!

Step 4: Learn from Your Success

So now, lean back, relax, and start to think: What did we do right? What did we do wrong? What can we improve on?

Now that you have celebrated success, you have to analyze your success so that it can happen again and again.

Sit with your team and understand everyone’s opinion on what was done well and what can be learned from. Then implement an improved internal process, if required, or any best practices that your team has to learn – and improve from your success.

And remember… You don’t only learn from your mistakes, but you also learn from your success!

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