Celebrating up

We frequently hear about the values of “managing up” or “coaching up.” It is a valuable skill to learn. Less frequently do we learn to celebrate up – to highlight the victories of the leaders who helped us achieve greatness.

I always enjoy being in on the surprise as a camera follows two players and a tub of Gatorade to an unsuspecting coach after a victory. While end-zone chest-beating celebrations may be fun, they highlight the individual accomplishments of the player while minimizing the contributions of the team and coaching staff. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Gatorade shower makes us remember that this is a team game, and that the battles are won in the trenches, on the sidelines, in practice, watching game film, and studying playbooks. End zone celebrations are polarizing, but everybody loves a good dousing .

In his best-selling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins proved that the most successful leaders (“Level 5 Leaders”) are not chest-beaters, but those who are humble enough to accept more than their share of blame in defeat while giving more than their share of credit in victory. It seems this holds true on the field as well, since I cannot remember a time a head coach received an excessive celebration penalty. So why is it that recognizing these humble leaders on the field is a celebrated tradition, but public recognition from the team is avoided in business?

I suspect some readers are already countering that senior managers are rewarded with higher salaries. Of course this is true – but it is also true, by and large, of our favorite coaches, especially at the college level. That doesn’t stop us from appreciating the tradition. Perhaps others are inclined to believe that the end of a game is a distinct conclusion, while business victories are rarely so clear cut. I’m inclined to agree, but this is only an argument for setting SMART goals and not an argument against celebrating. Or, perhaps some readers just can’t imagine highlighting the accomplishments of a tyrannical boss, which is all the more reason to bust out the cooler. According to Mental Floss, the popular tradition was started by New York Giant Jim Burt because coach Bill Parcells had been particularly aggressive in coaching before a big victory.

While I don’t suggest that we should all keep an ice bucket at our workstations, (ruining your Manager’s cell phone doesn’t quite scream “success”)  perhaps highlighting them on the company Facebook page or surprising them with an announcement over the PA would be a fitting public recognition.

However we celebrate, it seems that an employee who is concerned only with coaching up, but not as eager to recognize their leader’s contributions in victory, may lack the humility necessary to become a Level 5 leader.  Supposing you hope to take on greater leadership responsibility yourself, what better way to show your coach that you understand and appreciate the challenges of their role than by taking a moment to highlight their successes?