10 reasons why Singapore executives must learn to celebrate success

The Lions’ recent record-breaking fourth ASEAN Football Federation title win is not only a great example of how hard work, tenacity, and focus can drive teams to overcome odds and achieve big hairy goals.

It also serves as a terrific lesson about an oft-overlooked aspect of leadership in Singapore:  taking time to celebrate successes.

How was the Lions’ history-making achievement celebrated?  Here are just a few of the ways the team was recognized:

• Public verbal recognition from both Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean
• A warm welcome to the team as they arrived back into Changi airport
• A victory parade down Orchard Road, with the team in an open-top bus
• A victory celebration at Jalan Besar Stadium
• And, yes, monetary rewards, too, beyond just the hefty $200,000 USD cash prize that comes with the trophy

How does this apply to you, as a leader of your own team?

Think about it:  When the group you lead at work experiences a success, what do you do? Do you brush over these wins, automatically working toward the next goal without an acknowledgement of what has been achieved?

Do you share a quick “congratulations” or “good job” and then head back into your office? Unfortunately, in my Singapore-based executive coaching practice, I see this kind of leadership behavior far too often.

What’s behind that? In Singapore’s non-stop, 24-7 world, it’s all too easy to place immediate focus on the next task at hand and forget to stop and reflect on what's been achieved.

But if you ignore the wins of your team, you miss a vital opportunity not only to inspire your team on to even greater successes, but to strengthen your own executive leadership brand in the process.

Why should that matter?  Your executive leadership brand – defined as the way others perceive, think, and feel about you as a leader – can make or break your success.  It impacts your image, your reputation, your relationships, and your performance.

As a result, it will also impact your overall career and your finances. So, if you gloss over your team’s successes without recognition, what does that say about you as a leader?

How do you think employees perceive, think, and feel about a boss when their efforts go unappreciated? Those perceptions also reflect on the company as a whole, and that kind of downward spiral can mean losing some of your best employees.

Here are the top 10 reasons why celebrating wins is important for you, your team, and your company, and how doing so can help you build your own powerful executive leadership brand right here in Singapore.

Celebrating wins…

1. …reminds you of the goal you set and why you set it in the first place. It’s easy to forget why a goal was important, but forgetting that removes all meaning from the task. When people remember why the work they do helps grow the business, they’re inspired to do more.
2. …reminds you that a good, focused, goal-setting process works.You set the goal, create strategies to achieve it, and reach the outcomes you want. This not only delivers the desired results, but it inspires your team to set goals in all areas of their work as well.
3. … motivates your team to continue delivering good work.Employees who feel appreciated and know their efforts have been noticed become even more productive with the next round of projects.
4. … unifies the team around a positive outcome.If there are members of your team who are struggling to get along, reminding them that they have achieved a common goal helps bring them together.
5. … reminds the team that they work for a winning organization.People want to work for winners! So, one of the greatest morale-builders that a leader can offer employees is the knowledge that they work for a successful company, even if – and especially if – there are other areas where the company might be struggling.
6. …forces you and your team to concentrate on the positive rather than the negative.Even if your company has taken some hits recently or struggled in a down economy, there are still wins you can celebrate. Give your team a boost by celebrating and reminding them that good things are still happening for the company.         
7. … builds momentum for you and your team.When a success is celebrated, everyone is reminded that their ability to reach one specific goal indicates just how close they are to achieving even greater goals.
8. … gets you away from mundane day-to-day tasks.No matter how briefly, changing your team’s mindset from "work” to “celebration" gives both you and your team renewed, positive energy on the job.
9. … allows you to connect with colleagues and coworkers in a way that is not just work-related.It helps you build a more personal connection with your team - another great way to boost your executive leadership brand.
10. … allows you to reward specific employees.When you’re clear about what went well – naming names, dates, great ideas, and the deadlines that were met or exceeded – you not only legitimize the celebration, but you reinforce the kinds of behaviors that the company values. This shows your team exactly how they can earn similar celebrations in the future.

As a leader, it’s your job to keep your team members motivated toward their own growth as well as toward the common goal of growing and building the company.

Celebrating wins is a great way to do both and has the positive side effect of boosting your own executive leadership brand at the same time.

So, as we begin the new calendar year and head into the preamble to Chinese New Year, pause, glean a lesson from the Lions’ recent exciting achievement, and make time to celebrate the wins of your team. You, your team - and your executive leadership brand - will be glad you did.