The title of this article certainly is promising. It’s intended to be a serious question. Are you ready?

We are all surrounded by cautions and warnings of impending danger. 

• smoke detectors and fire extinguishers

• seatbelts, airbags, automatic braking, spare tires

• disaster kits with spare clothes, cash, emergency water, and flashlights

• you can’t even leave your home without a mask

Doomsday preppers are living their best lives right now. 

These things are important, the dangers are real, but...preparing for these potential outcomes is out of balance with our preparations for celebration.

While taking necessary steps to prepare for unlikely disasters we ignore preparations for very likely successes and, consequently, ignore so much good work.

You Find What you are Seeking

Half full? I have a brother that has a parking angel. He always drives close to the entrance of wherever he goes because he knows there’s a spot up there for him. It’s amazing how often there is a spot up there for him. When he and I were visiting our dad in the hospital he stopped me on the lawn on the way in. He shook a tree and a plum dropped out and he said, “these are great.” He took a bite we went on our way. He gets the parking spot and the world provides literal sustenance for him. 

Half empty? I have another brother that knows just how much work will have to go into any task assigned him. He’ll let you know just how much work he’s going to have to do. It will be a chore and the work will take exactly as much time and effort as he expected. He’s never wrong. 

They both got exactly what they were looking for.

It’s not a matter of the glass being half full or half empty. People like to know what they’re getting into. I know people who like to know the worst-case scenario every time. It helps them plan, but what are they planning for?

Celebrate the Small Things

We always keep sparkling wine in the fridge. We are ready to celebrate at the drop of a hat. There is nothing that signals the beginning of a celebration like the sound of champagne cork popping. 

These celebrations don’t have to be major events. It doesn’t have to be a graduation or a new job or a marriage proposal. It could be the completion of a project, attaining a personal goal, some recognition at work. There are plenty of things to celebrate but you can’t do it if you’re not prepared. This applies even more to the people you lead at work.

There are inevitable celebrations at work. 

• obligatory recognitions of service anniversaries

• birthdays

• company milestones

There are lots of things that get celebrated corporately. 

How many of them are for small personal successes? 

If you are one of those people who need to know the worst-case scenario before you begin you may not be looking for the small successes of the people around you. 

I had a situation where a very valued employee and good friend was struggling to get his work schedule arranged in a timely manner. There were constant adjustments to his schedule that really needed to be taken care of in advance. I spoke with him and set the expectation that we wanted to see a week go by without any last minute changes. He made it. I was so proud. I needed to acknowledge his success so I quickly crafted an award out of office supplies and celebrated his success in front of all in attendance in the office. 

Do we really need to celebrate someone finally accomplishing something they should have been doing all along… you bet we do! 

The celebration is not for you. It’s for the celebrant; the person whose behavior you want to reinforce and reward.  You have to know the people you lead and know what and how they celebrate. Then you have to find opportunities to celebrate. You have to be prepared to celebrate.

Overcome the obstacles, there is a way

But I can’t have cold champagne at the office… but you can have sparkling cider. 

But I don’t have room for a pile of trophies to hand out… but you could have a craft box.

But I’m not a “crafty” person… but I’ll bet there’s someone in your office who would kill to be the designated award maker.

The investment is tiny but the reward is great. You have to get to know people in a personal way to know how best to celebrate them. Let’s even celebrate the doomsday preppers by having some freeze-dried cake. 

Go out and look for the good things so you can prepare to celebrate them. 

Now are you ready?

By Mitch Mocilnikar