Published monthly by Sharon Eakes, Hope Unlimited, LLC
**************************************************************** FOCUS: Celebrate!
Disciplines: Self-mastery & Team Learning

Celebrate what you want to see more of!
Adage

THOUGHTS
In the work world we are often so focused on problems that we don't stop to acknowledge, let alone celebrate, our many successes. When we take the small amount of time required to acknowledge and celebrate, it rewards, energizes and motivates us to continue.
This works in personal life as well. Focusing on "small wins" for ourselves, in our families and with friends leads to more wins.

EXAMPLES
- Jamie, my one-year-old granddaughter just learned to walk down steps alone, holding onto the rail. She did this recently, saying "biggirl" outloud on each step. At the bottom she looked up, smiled, and she and her whole family clapped and sang "Yeah!"
- A team in a high-tech manufacturing company is working on 3 projects. Two have serious difficulties. The third just experienced a successful test run. They took 10 minutes at the beginning of a team meeting to read comments from the pleased customer and celebrate what they had done well. Then they moved to the hard cases, feeling upbeat.

TIPS
1) Stop a moment each day to acknowledge and do a mini-celebration of your successes (smile at least.)
2) Add "successes" or "small wins" as the first agenda item for team meetings. Acknowledge individuals and teams.
3) Share with the other person what you're grateful for in any personal relationship, as "We have such fun bicycling together!"
4) Periodically celebrate successes in style.
- Make a big deal in your family about yours and others' successes - this is not only good for the family but good modeling
- Have a pizza party or take your team ro lunch or a ballgame to celebrate a "win".

INVITATION
Join me for a 45-minute telegathering Tuesday, Sept. 26, 8:00 EDT to explore the subject of celebrating. Telegatherings are easy. Just call (702) 558-4398 at 8:00 EDT (7:00 CDT, 6:00 MDT, 5:00 PDT) and you will be on what's called a phone bridge. Participants in these conversations leave with new perspectives, interesting ideas and more energy than we came with. Reach me: 1-888-769-3494 or e-mail sharon@hopellc.com

Each month FRESH VIEWS focuses on a single topic, relates it to one of the five disciplines of a learning community, and offers a coaching tip and a follow-up telegathering. Please forward it to friends and colleagues. My purpose in writing FRESH VIEWS is to nurture, prod and encourage readers to think and talk about these topics with their families, friends and colleagues. Mine is only one view. Multiple conversations may deliver us to insights only hinted at here. Such a process sustains the vitality of learning relationships, learning families, learning organizations and learning communities.