The end of the year is busy with graduations, assemblies, awards and general celebrations of a job well done. Students and parents show their appreciation through gifts and heart felt cards. It is a time to celebrate. And the new year starts, and it is business as usual until the accolades return at the end of the year.
Celebrations should be all year around. Hour by hour. Day by day. Week by week. There is no one moment or event that is a standout for celebration. Any moment, any success, any progress deserves acknowledgement. Basically, any contribution is worthy of a celebration.
Courageous Leaders lead the “celebrate contribution” movement by seeing, acting and saying the behaviours that are conducive to a happier environment.
Introducing micro celebrations.
The feeling of receiving a gift of acknowledgement is the same as receiving a gift on your birthday – everyone wins.
A micro celebration starts with an observation of a contribution and finishes with positive words to the person about their efforts. People, students and adults, love to be acknowledged for their efforts and energies. These contributions should be celebrated with words and actions. Easy to do. Easy to consume.
How many times in the last week did you notice and then celebrate a peer’s efforts or energies?
Were they big contributions or small ones?
Were they to the same people of varied?
Here are 3 ways of acknowledging and micro celebrating people’s contribution:
1.Meeting call outs. To start a meeting, people share positive observations about other peer’s contributions.
“I really appreciate Mary’s work in making her room look so amazing. The students must love it.”
2. See it. Say it. If you see an act of contribution and it triggers a sense of “wow”, then tell the person.
“Hey Joan, so nice of you to pick up the paper. Really appreciate it.”
3. Take the time. Sometimes we don’t have time to acknowledge the event, that doesn’t mean it is forgotten. Make a mental note to congratulate the person for their contribution later.
“Hey, before I forget, your assembly item this morning was a real blast. Everyone was engaged. Thanks for that.”
Let’s celebrate all year around minus the day after cleanup and the expensive gifts. Just micro celebrations every day using observation and words.
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