Celebrations

On a recent evening, I walked up to a podium in a packed auditorium to offer remarks recognizing our school district's retiring superintendent. I won't lie. It was a daunting task to attempt to summarize his 12-year tenure, celebrate his accomplishments, and tell the story of who he is as a leader ... while keeping it short. While the task of preparing and delivering public remarks may not have felt easy, the ritual was clear. A superintendent retires in my town, and we celebrate them in Town Meeting*. 

Last weekend, it was high school graduation day here. I don't have a graduating child (yet), so I wasn't on the frontlines of this milestone. I simply felt the buzz in the air - laughter from graduation parties on neighbors' lawns, careful eyeing of the weather report to see if the ceremony could stay outside or not (rain this year - it was a gym ceremony). While it was undoubtedly a time of high emotion for graduates and their families, again, the rituals are clear.

This has me thinking about celebrations. There are rituals - like graduation ceremonies and retirement speeches - that offer structure and tradition for how we mark the big moments.

What about the smaller moments?

How do we close out complex projects at work? How do we mark the end of one strategic plan, before we move into the next strategic plan? How do we recognize a Board member ending their service?

I just completed coaching engagements with several clients. Whether I partnered with the client for three months or two years, our final coaching session is a moment to mark. It is a space to celebrate. We talk about questions such as: Where have you seen the most growth? What are you proudest of? How will you apply what you've learned in the future? 

Not every end is a time for speeches. Not every accomplishment makes its way into a LinkedIn post. Not every milestone calls for a party in the yard with friends and family.

But, we have these smaller endings all of the time. What if we paused to mark the moment? How might we pause to reflect on what we learned, and what we're proud of? What if we considered what we want to hold onto from the experience, and what we want to let go of? When we recognize the small moments, we find meaning in the day-to-day. Our learning "sticks." We create room for fun. We see the ripple effects of our actions. 

I'm advocating for mini-celebrations to mark the moment. For me, mini-celebrations include taking the time to reflect with coaching clients. It's going for a walk outside after facilitating a big training. It's writing down with pen on paper three things I learned from working on a project. It's music breaks in my office.

What will you celebrate this month? And how will you celebrate it? Drop me a line and let me know. I'd love to help mark the moment with you. 

With celebration,

Christina (and Jodi)

*Some of you know that in my life outside of Leadwell, I serve on my local school board. I'm celebrating the completion of my first term. I learned a lot (including the experience of chairing a superintendent search committee). I always welcome conversations about public service with anyone out there who may be interested...