Small Successes

As David Baum, author of Lightning in a Bottle, recommends, “If you talk about what you want rather than what you don’t want, your subconscious can rarely tell the difference. Focus on the positive and you will move toward it with deliberate speed.”^[*]

To avoid becoming overwhelmed by the challenges and all the things you have to do when you’re involved in an organizational change effort, celebrate even small successes.

You are an Evangelist(144). You’ve applied some patterns from this language, and some worked but others didn’t.

Every organizational change effort has its ups and downs. It’s a difficult process.

We are so often caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey. After successfully completing a task, we often don’t acknowledge our achievement and may even underestimate what we have done. Our memory can be so focused on the struggle it took to get the job done that we don’t take the time to appreciate what we have accomplished. We often concentrate on everything that still needs to be done instead of on the Small Successes that have come our way. Usually we’re too busy. Our “To Do” list is infinite, so when we finish any task, we’re already thinking about the next one. We can become discouraged and burned out.

All too often, our focus is on that “big win”—some dramatic event that defines success. We care more about some magic silver bullet than the continuous improvements that will eventually lead to our desired goal. As a result, most jobs provide few opportunities to be recognized as a winner. Celebrations are usually reserved for the big events and only a few are singled out.

But author and software guru Luke Hohmann urges that “achieving any goal should be an opportunity for enjoying the fruits of your labor. You’ve earned it! More importantly, achieving one goal gives you the confidence to do it again, producing a positive feedback loop of goal-setting and goal-achieving success!”^[*]

Large-scale change can be a long, formidable undertaking, so create short-term wins. A number of early victories, even if they are small, create self-confidence and the belief that bigger successes are possible. This belief builds a psychological momentum that sustains the effort needed for large-scale, long-term change.

Therefore:

As you carry on Step by Step, take the time to recognize and celebrate successes, especially the small ones.

These don’t have to be big celebrations. You can buy a cake for everyone to share, or just give a “high five” all around. Involve everyone who has helped to achieve the small success. Even when you can’t include others, it is still important to give yourself a pat on the back.

Success can come in many forms. Look for it. For example, at the end of the week, ask yourself what you and your team have learned or done differently. This simple question can go a long way in promoting continual, but focused, change.

Focus on the gains rather than the losses. Even when you don’t get all the things you wanted, you can still celebrate the things you didn’t get that you didn’t want!

Take Time for Reflection(240) and view each success as an opportunity to work toward larger undertakings. Your present success, no matter how small, is something to be proud of because it allows you to do bigger and even more successful things. Build on what you have accomplished.

Use e-Forum(135) and In Your Space(167) to inform others about the progress. The Smell of Success(219) will attract others.

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This pattern creates the realization that each small success puts you one step closer to the goal. Even though there is still work to be done, recognizing and celebrating small accomplishments encourages a focus on the positive. It makes you feel productive and energized to do even more.

But your success can turn off people who are jealous and resentful of what you are trying to do. Others may see the celebration as a sign that the effort is at an end. Stay in Touch(221) with your supporters and nonsupporters alike to be sure that everyone is on the same page. Help them understand that the Small Successes are cornerstones for tackling the bigger problems and their support is still needed to reach the final goals.

Since 1961, Peace Corps volunteers have embarked on ambitious projects but are often overpowered by feelings of frustration. Successful change agents persist despite setbacks and celebrate even small successes. A small success is worth a lot because it empowers the volunteer and the community members to try another new project. After a small victory, a volunteer could make more suggestions because the locals will no longer think that the outsider is quite so crazy. Some volunteers finish their stint with Peace Corps thinking they didn’t accomplish much. Taking time to recognize the small successes is the key.

John was leading the development of a new center in his organization. There was a lot of work to be done. The task could have become overwhelming if not for the “action items” that the team created during each weekly meeting. At the following meeting, team members looked forward to going over that list and would often cheer “All right!” when one of the larger items was finally completed or all of the smaller items on the list could be removed.