Lessons From the Field #15: What Gets Celebrated Gets Repeated

One of the biggest leadership mistakes I see is spending all our time focused on what went wrong and not enough time recognizing what went right.

Don’t get me wrong—accountability matters. We have to coach opportunities, address gaps, and drive results. But if the only time our teams hear from us is when something is broken, eventually they stop feeling like their hard work matters.

Over the last several months, I’ve made a conscious effort to celebrate wins more often. A store that crushed a food sales goal. A manager who developed an assistant manager. A creative beer display that drove sales. A team that turned around customer service scores. Those moments deserve recognition.

What I’ve found is simple: when people feel appreciated, they lean in. Confidence grows. Engagement grows. Performance grows.

Recognition doesn’t always have to be a plaque, an award, or a bonus. Sometimes it’s a phone call. A text message. A shout-out during a meeting. A sincere “thank you” that lets someone know their effort was noticed.

Field Lesson:

People repeat the behaviors that leaders recognize. If you want more of something, celebrate it.

Catch people doing something right.

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