For entrepreneurs, the only thing longer than the days are the to-do lists. With a mountain of tasks always needing attention, it’s natural to jump from one thing to the next then to the next as quickly as possible. After all, the more milestones you hit and projects you bring to completion, the better your business will be, right?
Well, yes, but that’s not the whole picture.
Pausing to reflect and celebrate your accomplishments is as important to your business as achieving them. Celebrating creates space to boost team morale and reminds everyone of the why. We dedicated an entire podcast episode to discuss celebrating. Listen here.
Celebrations sound great in theory, but in practice, most entrepreneurs are hard-wired to keep their heads to the ground and move on to the next idea that needs to be executed. And that’s a good thing! As the leader and visionary, it’s your job to make sure the right projects are being worked on and completed to grow your business. But celebrating can’t be overlooked and that’s where your cruise director comes in.
On the seas, a cruise director is a senior officer of the ship who is responsible for all hospitality, entertainment, and social events. In business, your cruise director is in charge of all things relating to fun and team morale.
Wait… people who like to organize team celebrations exist? Yes, and they’re an invaluable asset to your business. Your cruise director can be any person on your team with any role and at any level. It’s the person who naturally is great at building relationships and acknowledging the accomplishments of the team. They’ll always have a pulse on the how the team is feeling and what they might need. They’ll be ecstatic when you give them full reign over scheduling and sending invites.
Once you find your cruise director, give them full permission to nudge you when they see an opportunity to celebrate. The celebrations don’t have to be big, expensive, or take a lot of time. For example, the cruise director can tell you that the team is feeling a little disconnected, so it might be time to plan a lunch for everyone. They can also remind you that the web developers will be working late next Thursday, so you should probably bring them some donuts and coffee on Friday morning. Other times, they might spend weeks planning a big party for your team when the company hits its end-of-year goals.
Celebrations, big or small, are so important for your team. It makes them feel valued, respected, and seen. And team members who feel valued, respected, and seen will buy into your vision. And a team that has bought into your vision is a team that helps your business grow. If stopping to celebrate isn’t your strength, find your cruise director.