↗️ Celebrating is a skill, so let's try it! 🥳🎉

I have a bad habit. I find it tough to celebrate. Once I climb a mountain, I just move on to the next one.

It was in 2015, very early in my own journey as an aspiring coach, that I received black-and-white feedback on this for the very first time.

“Maik, it’s like you are running through the most beautiful landscape and you never stop to look around and enjoy how far you have come,” my trainer said.

And:

“The thing is, you are not just overlooking your own successes, but also your clients’. When they succeed at something, when they achieve a goal, invite them to stop, look around, take a breath, and enjoy the moment. Celebrate with them. Don’t just rush them on.”

I had done to my clients what I had done to myself. It was a massive blind spot and an eye-opening moment for me.

I admit I am still a work in progress here, but since that time, I notice in myself when I can do better. I also help leaders in my courses celebrate much more intentionally and visibly. It energizes. It motivates.

A few years later, when I also realized that the International Coaching Federation (ICF) itself has even codified this as a professional coaching micro-skill: “Coach celebrates the client's progress and learning.” It is an observable skill!

And that’s why today, I want to intentionally pause and take this as an opportunity to celebrate a big occasion and milestone on our end. Just four days ago, the ICF re-certified our flagship course ‘IntelliCoach PRO’ for another three years!! 🥳🎉

It’s a big deal, a big relief, and a big encouragement and motivation boost to continue on this journey that started in late 2020 with a pilot course run (then still called ILAP, for ‘IntelliCoach Leader Academy Program’).

If you have a moment, feel free to send a shoutout back via a direct reply to this email. I read everything 😊.

But we are only getting started. In 2025, IntelliCoach PRO will expand to different audiences and time zones with amazing co-trainers (looking at you, Abhijit and Kath!), while staying true to the ambition to equip any formal or informal business and HR leader out there with the communication skills they need to excel in the 21st century.

Wish all my readers a wonderful week ahead. And I am sure, there is always something to celebrate!