As adults, we are often much better at work than we are at play. In fact, we seem to turn play into a form of work, one at which we are sadly less competent. Take, for example, office retirement and birthday parties, complete with balloons, pastries, and the requisite crudité platter. It’s usually a drop-by-between-meetings party. Say hi. Grab a plate of goodies to eat, alone, at your desk. Even the guest of honor may only do a fly-by.
At Disruption Advisors we have found that most of us don’t have a good plan to celebrate accomplishments, and the lack of celebration has only become more pronounced and consequential after two years of pandemic isolation. This is unfortunate because, as I explain in my new book, Smart Growth, celebration is an important opportunity to cement the lessons learned on the path to achievement, and to strengthen the relationships between people that make future achievement more plausible. When I speak of celebration, I don’t mean inebriated partying, but rather commemorative events that encompass complex emotions including solemnity and poignancy, as well as pleasure and joy in the journey……Read More