What happens after your team finishes a grueling sprint, hits a big deadline, or submits the grant? If the answer is “they just move on to the next thing” — you’re not alone, and it’s costing you more than you realize.

In this Pit Stop episode of Agile Driven Impact, Diane and Erich dig into one of the most consistently underdone habits on high-performing teams: celebrating milestones — all of them, not just the big finish line moments.

The episode opens with a real-time example: earlier this week, 150 advance reader copies of Diane’s new book, Playbook for Changemakers, arrived at her door — ahead of its December 1st release date. Happy dance in the foyer included. But what made it a true team moment was what came next: the first signed copy went to Erich, and Diane paused to think through every person — beta readers, the copy editor, the colleagues who made space for quiet writing time — who made it possible and deserved to be part of the celebration.

That’s the shift Diane and Erich are asking teams to make. Research is clear: recognition and celebration are among the strongest drivers of team engagement — and among the most consistently skipped. Most teams only celebrate for huge wins, only acknowledge the most visible contributors, and only pause once a year (if that). As Diane puts it, “teams celebrate in scarcity.”

The fix doesn’t have to be elaborate. A specific message to the team, a shoutout in a meeting, a moment to name what was completed and why it mattered — these are the small habits that make people feel like they’re part of a team that’s actually winning.

This week’s challenge (that you can do to, it isn’t just limited to their podcast listeners!): name one milestone from the last sprint or project phase that went unacknowledged, and take a moment to actually acknowledge it.

And then, if you take the challenge – our team would love to hear – what do you see or experience as a result?