Two Pieces of Advice Following a Win

Celebrate, but start thinking of what is next.

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” -Bill Gates

Tis the season for a win! Every loves a win. Whether it is an election, a high profile boxing match, or a fall football game, everyone wants to bask in the glory of victory. A win is always welcomed, especially in business. Most wins are obvious and big such as winning a big contract or closing a sale. Some are more masked such as Rachel overcoming her fears and crushing it in the morning brief or Stanley’s 6-month zero incident safety performance.

Celebrate wins. This would seem obvious but often individuals and leaders fail to pause and recognize a win. Celebrating a win releases dopamine in the brain which fosters deeper commitment and greater performance. Don’t let a good dose of dopamine go to waste! In leadership, beyond the positive impacts of wins, we have a job to do in the moments and days after achieving them. While the individual or team is tossing confetti it is time for the leader to do some thinking. My intent here is not to be a buzzkill. Have some cake. Put on a big smile and start high-fiving but do some thinking and preparing for the aftermath. Leadership is a lonely business. The leader is often the only person seeing things from a different perspective or thinking about the future as others operate in the moment . Here is my advice.