“Small wins are still won, and the journey is more important than overnight success.” Bill Watterson
Are feeling that this has been a difficult season for you as a leader, for your team or your organization. For you on a personal level. If you are feeling this way that is perfectly fine. You are not the only person or leader who feels as if you have been in a difficult season. This season may have been filled with budget cuts, staffing changes, market decline and the list of challenges continue. It is important from time to time to pause and reflect on what has gone well and the areas that are doing great. It is important to be intentional about celebrating from the smallest to the greatest victory. I want to offer you reasons to celebrate.
- Resilience: You have come through challenges as a leader or on a personal level. Thus celebrate the fact that you are still able to lead and impact the lives of those you lead. Being resilient is worth celebrating all of your tireless effort and hard work in sustaining the team and the organization. Despite that you have had to make some complex decisions that you would have not wanted to make. At the end of the day take a moment to breathe and look at yourself in the mirror and celebrate your resilience and tenacity to continue to show up every day.
- Team/People: Take a moment to celebrate your team or those with which you have worked. They are worth celebrating because it takes a team to succeed and navigate a multitude of challenges. Whenever you must contend with a situation the beauty of facing it is to have others with you. Your team or those you work alongside are worth celebrating because each of you brings your unique skills, talents and abilities daily trying to impact on the lives of those you serve. This is worth celebrating.
- Lessons Learned: As you reflect on the journey you must focus on those key lessons learned. You must not forget while you may have had to contend with challenges you were growing and developing. As you reflect you made some decisions that you wished you had not made or would do differently. However, hindsight is always twenty-twenty. Thus, take a moment to list the lessons learned as these lessons will serve as assets to you in the future. Lessons learned are worth celebrating as you have grown and matured through the process.
In closing the key to success as a leader or on a personal level is to take a moment to reflect on how resilient you are, how great your team is and the opportunity to work with some amazing people and finally cherish the lessons learned on your journey to impacting and make the lives of those you serve better. Most importantly take time to withdraw and pause for reflection as you celebrate all that you have accomplished despite it may not be what you planned. “Success is a journey not a destination.” Thus, there is something to celebrate!
If you need assistance or support as a leader, feel free to reach out to E3 Leadership Institute, (www.e3leadershipinstitute.com) we are here to serve you. Inspiring leaders to lead with purpose and passion!