| If you've been monitoring your business or team or | | | | the data and using the measure to make your |
| personal performance for some time, you should | | | | decisions that little bit wiser! |
| celebrate! Even if you still haven't achieved your | | | | * Celebrate when you find out why performance isn't |
| targets, or even if you still haven't got any significant | | | | where you want it to be, and you now have more |
| performance improvements, celebration should be a | | | | choices - better choices - for how to influence that |
| regular part of managing your business performance. | | | | performance. |
| 3 important reasons to celebrate performance | | | | * Celebrate when you see your performance |
| successes | | | | measure respond to the improvements you are |
| Firstly, celebration injects positive feelings into the | | | | making. |
| typically dry experience performance management. | | | | * Celebrate when you see your performance |
| Performance measurement most certainly is not just | | | | measure not responding at all to the improvement you |
| about the numbers. It's about the kind of change we | | | | are making (you've learned what doesn't work - very |
| want in the things that matter to us, the things we care | | | | important). |
| about or have strong feelings about. Celebrating | | | | * Celebrate achieving staged targets along the way to |
| performance successes firmly funnels our attention on | | | | your ultimate targets. It helps if you make the earlier |
| great things we have achieved, however small. It helps | | | | targets easier, gradually building the challenge in |
| dilute the sting of negative results or negative | | | | proportion to the momentum each achievement adds. |
| feedback, which human nature funnels our attention | | | | * And of course, celebrate when you achieve your |
| toward with far greater bias than the positive results. | | | | ultimate targets! |
| Secondly, celebration builds momentum toward your | | | | How do you celebrate performance successes? |
| performance targets. Particularly when you set staged | | | | There are lots of ways you can celebrate progress |
| targets along the timeframe to your ultimate targets, | | | | along your journey of business performance |
| celebrating the progress along the way consolidates | | | | management. But do choose those that mean |
| what's working, and reminds you that you do have | | | | something to your staff, that, given their values, they |
| influence and control over your performance results. | | | | will truly appreciate. |
| Thirdly, celebration reminds you what matters most. | | | | * Consider an awards ceremony (serious or |
| The spotlight of celebration keeps your attention on | | | | light-hearted) to reward and recognise people that |
| what you want more of, doesn't distract you with over | | | | have played special roles in achieving the current |
| emphasis on what you want less of. It's too easy for | | | | performance successes. |
| performance management to be all about fixing | | | | * Have a party! Just make sure the reason for the |
| problems. Where attention goes, energy flows. Where | | | | party is clear - perhaps theme it along the lines of the |
| do you want the energy in your business to flow? | | | | performance win it celebrates (e.g. a birthday party for |
| But what kinds of successes can you celebrate? | | | | your new performance measures). |
| Decide on some small goals along the way to having | | | | * Reinvest some of the gains from performance |
| that complete performance dashboard that tells you all | | | | improvement, like saved time, saved money or |
| you need to know about your business results. | | | | additional revenue, into the workplace for everyone to |
| Celebrating these goals will remind you of the positives | | | | enjoy - a coffee machine, a massage chair, weekly |
| of measuring performance, build on your momentum | | | | fresh flower deliveries, bowls of fresh fruit every day. |
| toward your targets, and . Consider celebrating goals | | | | Whatever your staff would most appreciate. |
| like these: | | | | * And many times, a simple heartfelt "thank you" is all |
| * Celebrate when you have finally chosen a set of | | | | that's needed. |
| performance measures that your team feel excited | | | | What you and your team recently achieved in your |
| about, or at the very least feel committed to reporting | | | | management of business performance? Have you |
| and using. | | | | celebrated it yet? Drop me an email and let me know |
| * Celebrate when you have brought a measure to life | | | | how you celebrate it! |
| - even just one measure - so that you are now getting | | | | |