Lessons from the 4th of July: Victories Deserve Celebrations!

During the American Revolution, July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved and signed by the Second Continental Congress setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom with the resolution of independence from Great Britain. Two days prior, John Adams wrote these words to his wife Abigail:

“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” (reference)

WOW, what a mighty premonition. John Adams was indeed correct… all the way down to his detailed description of what our annual Independence Day celebration would be like. July 4^th is one of the few Federal holidays our country celebrates together each year. As a nation, from coast to coast we celebrate and commemorate the freedom our forefathers fought for… and on this day we celebrate being Americans. Race, religion, political preference and viewpoints are put aside as we come together with family, friends, food, baseball, parades and fireworks, just as President John Adams predicted 237 years ago! 

The very idea of celebration got me thinking about how I celebrate my own personal victories as well as the victories I work to help my clients achieve. Then I started thinking about how great salespeople work hard in the trenches and fight hard for their customers too! They start with a problem, and then work vigorously to solve that problem and other challenges that create obstacles for success and growth. And the very fact that great salespeople are thought of as trusted advisors or allies, rather than just a ‘salesperson’, really says it all.

So I ask you, trusted advisors and allies, are you celebrating the victories you’re working hard to achieve for your clients?

When the goals and objectives you’ve set with your customers have been achieved, do you all get together to commemorate your success and celebrate your win?  If not, you might consider following the example of our forefathers. They taught us that hard work should be recognized and our success should be celebrated. We see this play out year after year in sports, literature, music, cinema, politics, etc.  

You work hard to help your clients achieve their goals; you create a plan, develop strategy, employ tactics, and showcase discipline and intense focus to ensure your clients’ successes.  During your planning phase… make sure you’re also planning a fantastic celebration to commemorate the victory and recognize all the people who worked hard to help achieve that win.

Happy 4^th of July, from all of us at The Center for Sales Strategy!  Have a safe and fun holiday!