“Celebrating mediocrity isn’t encouragement—it’s an apology for setting the bar too low.” Companies love to shower applause on anyone who completes a task or meets minimum expectations. Every report, every small success, no matter how insignificant, seems to earn recognition. And they have a word for it “Small milestones.” Celebrate milestones. Not “small” milestones. But here’s the truth: constant praise for routine work creates a culture that confuses adequacy with excellence. Leaders who applaud mediocrity undermine real achievement, leaving top performers overlooked and uninspired. Handing out trophies for simply “doing the job” doesn’t motivate people to go above and beyond;…