Jones Logistics’ Post

So honored to work with Dee Dee! The Channel Chiefs list highlights the top leaders throughout the IT channel ecosystem who work diligently to ensure mutual success with their partners and customers. #channelstrategy

You may have a seen a post I shared a few weeks ago receiving an award and wondering why it took me a year to celebrate that win publicly (this photo is from that same event). Upon reflection, I've realized that my hesitance to celebrate is part of a larger pattern. I have never stopped to really celebrate my wins.  I am guilty of constantly moving on to the next thing dismissing past achievements as if they were mere steps on an endless escalator. The win, once it's in the rearview mirror, somehow loses its sheen because it's "in the past." I cannot be the only one who is like this.  Am I?  Help me out here.  But I am coming to understand that celebrating our achievements isn't about living in the past; it's about recognizing the journey and the growth that comes with each milestone. Many of us, myself included, are wired to look forward, to chase the horizon. There's always a new goal, a new challenge. And while that drive is valuable, it's equally important to pause, look back, and honour how far we've come. Our wins, big or small, are not just trophies to collect but reminders of our resilience, hard work, and the support we've had along the way. Even in writing this I know I will still find it challenging to do, so, I'm making a commitment to not only chase the future but to also honour the present and respect the past. I endeavour to celebrate my wins, to savour the moments of success, and to appreciate the journey because the future is never guaranteed. Will you join me in this practice if you have battled this same malady?

The Beauty of Celebrating Wins As the year comes to an end, it's easy to fall into the trap of focusing on what we didn't achieve rather than what we did. We become obsessed with crossing things off our list and forget to celebrate the wins we've had along the way. But the truth is, we've all had wins this year. Maybe they weren't the big, flashy accomplishments we were hoping for, but they were wins nonetheless. And it's important to take the time to acknowledge and celebrate them. When we focus solely on our failures, we start to brand ourselves as failures. We lose sight of the progress we've made and the hurdles we've overcome. We forget about the things we accomplished outside of our goals that are worth applauding. Setting goals and holding ourselves accountable is important, but we need to do it in a way that doesn't leave us feeling defeated. We need to celebrate our wins, no matter how small they may seem. So as the year comes to a close, take some time to reflect on your wins. Write them down, share them with a friend, or simply take a moment to appreciate them. Celebrating your wins will not only boost your self-confidence but also help you believe in your potential and capabilities.

Thought for the Day: Celebrate the Wins "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey Today marks a significant milestone in a project at work. It’s taken us over a year to prepare for and multiple years before that leading up to this step. In practice, the change will be minor. There’s little risk and multiple contingency plans if something should go wrong. But the significance of the moment is huge. You could sense the heightened levels of energy the last week as the team ran through what was about to take place. We were all doing what we could to ensure that nothing was missed. The level of scrutiny from our leaders had reached hyperdrive. As we wrapped up our preparations and space opened up in our days. The meetings leading up to this milestone came off the calendars and were replaced with new meeting. Our time and focus quickly shifted to all the remaining work that is still to come (there’s a lot of it). In fact the majority of my thoughts this morning are not about the accomplishment in front of us, but about the next problem we need to solve. It’s on to the next thing because there’s always a next thing. There will always be another problem to solve or another milestone to strive for. Striving towards something has a ton of value and merit, but if we do that at the expense of celebrating the wins along the way we miss the point. Take time to celebrate when things are worth celebrating. Acknowledge the work that has been done before we move on to the next one.

As a leader in business, your focus is almost entirely on what is wrong or what can be improved. Nights like last night help you take a step back and appreciate everything that is right and goes well.

Some context to go with the image below from National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) !

When was the last time you paused to celebrate your wins? If you've got a to-do list, you've got a little list of victories to savour right there! Creating a 'now-done' list is a powerful tool to boost your self-esteem and motivation. It allows you to reflect on your accomplishments, big or small, and appreciate the effort you put into them. So go ahead, take a moment to celebrate yourself! 🎉

I recently made a mistake when celebrating a great month in our company.  We blew away our goal and I wanted to recognize our team. Instead of just congratulating our team for their great accomplishment, I threw in the dreaded "but" at the end of it. "but, next month will most likely be much different." There was no need for me to do this.  I intended to shield them from a possible letdown the following month since we always have a strong January. The "but" was not necessary at that time (and probably not at all). Celebrate your wins.  Recognize the success of your team - the other stuff can wait. A well-informed team already knows of the challenges that may lie ahead and is prepared to handle them. Let celebrating your wins stand on its own.  Do not dilute what your team accomplished. Interestingly, February came and they beat our target for that month as well.....and did it again in March.

Awards aren't just about the Awards, but also the example they give others ! Great to be starting to judge the Business Culture Awards ! Had a quick scan of the entries and it's clear there is some great work happening across a number of sectors which is making a real difference to organisations and their people. Having regularly judged various awards from HR Excellence to IIP it's not as easy as its sounds given the often varied nature of organisations competing for the same award. They can be from different sectors and have significant variation in size and resources. But one common factor stands out in the winners I have seen in all awards - a genuine passion and belief in what they are doing and the real difference it makes for people. Also that they have truly done their best to achieve the best they can with the resources they have. After the Awards these winners, and indeed other finalists, then become great examples for other organisations to use as a road map to start their own journey to being better. It's that ripple effect of others seeking to be excellent using these examples which is the true potential and value of Awards. The work starts now ! Watch this space.

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