Pride Rounds: Sharing Authentic Pride to Advance Flourishing

Imagine turning to your medical team and openly sharing something you are genuinely proud of. For many, this simple act may elicit discomfort, hesitation, or even guilt. We experienced this firsthand. About a year ago, a peer asked one of us, a pediatric palliative medicine physician, if she had any mentors who openly modeled pride in their work. After a swift “no” response, and with this gap in mind, she proposed an experiment, one that invited vulnerability and reflection: “Pride Rounds.” Each Friday, during morning rounds for the inpatient palliative medicine consultant team, colleagues were invited to share a brief statement of self-pride. The initial response was telling: moans, awkward laughter, and apprehension. One team member even asked, “Do we all have to do this?” The discomfort was palpable, yet it marked the beginning of something unexpected and worth noticing.Pride rounds quickly became a transformative practice. The rules were simple: participants’ statements could not be followed with a “but,” and it does not have to be about work. The absence of “but” is intentional; it prevents participants from diminishing or qualifying their pride, which can subtly reinforce shame or self-doubt. Table 1 highlights the purpose, step-by-step implementation, facilitation principles, sample prompts, and real-world examples that support consistent and effective use of pride rounds in team settings.Participants celebrate what often goes unacknowledged: exercising twice that week, making dinner for their children after a long shift, contributing to a meaningful patient interaction, or giving themselves permission to rest. Every Friday, no matter how busy the day, someone prompts: “It’s time for pride rounds.” In reflecting on the power of these sacred spaces, never have we thought “she’s proud of that?!”; instead, we have felt admiration, connection, and inspiration. Witnessing colleagues embrace their accomplishments without hesitation reinforces that pride is not boastful—it’s a source of strength. Pride rounds are not merely about sharing positive feelings—they cultivate a mindset that recognizes growth, honors effort, and builds emotional endurance. Over time, this practice has become more than a ritual—it has become a concrete step toward individual and collective flourishing. In medical education, wellness is increasingly framed not merely as the absence of distress but as flourishing—a state of meaning, connection, and excellence that allows individuals and learning communities to thrive.1 Authentic expressions of pride directly foster this kind of thriving: what began as a brief pause in the week has evolved into a sustained investment in the team’s flourishing.In a culture that often equates self-promotion with arrogance,2 many shy away from acknowledging their achievements. The fear of being perceived as “cocky” or boastful keeps people from embracing their own successes, even when they are well-earned. But what if pride wasn’t something to suppress, but rather a practice to normalize and celebrate?The word pride has a complex etymology with roots tracing back to the Latin verb “prodsesse,” meaning “to be advantageous.” While modern society often defines “pride” as a negative trait, the historical development of the word came from being of value.3,4 Pride is a self-conscious emotion that arises from self-evaluation of accomplishments. It is a sense of your own worth and abilities, often tied to personal values or achievements. Tracy et al. contrast hubristic and authentic pride—hubristic pride centers around arrogance and dominance compared with the earned respect and genuineness we strive for in authentic pride.4 We assert that the hesitancy related to sharing pride comes from fear of aligning with the hubristic form of pride, although opportunities abound to anchor to authentic pride.A growing body of literature highlights pride as a central workplace emotion closely tied to achievement, self-efficacy, identity, and belonging, with publications on the topic increasing substantially over the past 2 decades.5 Authentic pride has been associated with positive organizational outcomes, including greater work engagement, reduced emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions, enhanced prosocial behavior, and more effective leadership.6,7 Hubristic pride, on the other hand, is antisocial, highlighting that pride can be both a vice and a virtue at work.7Viewed through this lens, pride is not something to downplay, but rather a psychological resource that supports well-being, resilience, and human flourishing. More than a fleeting moment of self-recognition, expressing pride can require vulnerability, as it involves openly acknowledging one’s efforts, accomplishments, or growth—sometimes in a culture that discourages self-affirmation. By allowing ourselves to claim and voice these successes, we can counter imposter syndrome and build resilience against burnout. When embraced authentically, it builds confidence, reinforces our capacity to navigate challenges, and fosters connection. Far from undermining humility, pride complements it—allowing us to honor personal growth while recognizing the support systems that contribute to our success.This understanding aligns with the PERMA model of flourishing from positive psychology, which describes well-being across 5 interconnected domains: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment.8 Expressions of pride directly uplift each of these domains and, when viewed as a resource for growth rather than self-importance, can serve as a foundation for flourishing—not only for ourselves, but also as a way to model and support the well-being of others.Expressing pride nurtures positive emotion and reinforces a sense of self-worth—for example, a team member might share pride in finally completing a complex task or navigating a patient interaction that had felt overwhelming. It deepens engagement by connecting individuals to work and passions that matter to them, such as taking the initiative to improve a workflow or mentor a junior colleague. Sharing pride also strengthens relationships through mutual recognition and support, like when a participant acknowledges their role working with another team to meaningfully support a challenging case. By voicing pride in their efforts or identity, individuals affirm that their contributions have value, reinforcing a sense of meaning—for instance, recognizing how their daily work aligns with their professional purpose. At its core, pride acknowledges accomplishment, fueling creativity, motivation, and sustained effort, such as celebrating the completion of a research project. When practiced regularly, as in weekly pride rounds, it becomes a habit that promotes holistic flourishing by honoring growth, values, and purpose.Beyond its role in flourishing, pride also strengthens another core dimension of well-being: resilience. When individuals take pride in their efforts—whether major achievements or small, daily contributions—they build an internal reservoir of strength that can be drawn on in moments of adversity. It becomes a reminder of capability and commitment, reframing setbacks as part of a broader journey of learning and progress. Rather than seeing challenges through a lens of deficiency, pride fosters a mindset of potential and perseverance. This inner resilience is amplified when pride is shared. Voicing pride invites connection, fosters empathy, and strengthens belonging. These social bonds are especially critical during times of struggle, offering reassurance that one’s efforts are seen and valued.Pride similarly serves as a buffer against burnout. Burnout often arises when people feel their efforts lack meaning or go unrecognized.9 Taking pride in one’s work—especially in the process, not just the outcomes—can restore a sense of significance and reconnect individuals to their purpose. Pride’s effect is magnified when expressed in the community, as it strengthens the organizational culture. Shared acknowledgment counters the isolation and depletion often associated with burnout. Celebrating progress collectively offers a moment of pause and affirmation—spaces where people feel seen, valued, and reenergized. These acts of mutual recognition sustain morale not through relentless striving, but through connection, care, and a sense of shared purpose.Equally important, pride plays a powerful role in countering imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome often thrives in silence, fueled by the fear of inadequacy despite clear achievements.10 When individuals give voice to their achievements, they disrupt internal narratives of self-doubt and affirm a more accurate sense of self. Even small recognitions can reframe one’s view from insufficiency to earned success. The acknowledgment of accomplishment becomes a grounding practice that strengthens identity and self-trust. Beyond its individual impact, authentic expressions of pride create ripple effects. When people openly and authentically share pride, they foster a culture where others feel empowered to do the same. This collective modeling disrupts the silence that allows imposter syndrome to persist, replacing it with a culture of visibility, encouragement, and shared growth.Ultimately, authentic pride is a practice of flourishing. It reinforces resilience, deepens relationships, validates personal growth, and reconnects people to meaning and accomplishment. Far from diminishing humility, pride grounds individuals in the truth of who we are and what we’ve worked for. When embraced authentically, pride becomes not just a reflection of well-being but also a powerful contributor to it.11Over the past year, weekly pride rounds have remained a consistent practice. Beyond these structured moments, we have begun noticing and reflecting on pride in everyday moments—acknowledging accomplishments during patient care, team check-ins, and casual conversations. Early on, we often softened or redirected our statements of pride with a caveat or a “but.” Gradually, we have grown more comfortable expressing pride authentically without qualification. We have also realized that we are proud to be teammates, physicians, and mentors who openly model pride in our work.Participant feedback suggests that pride rounds positively impact both individual and team well-being. Participants reported increased self-awareness, stronger connections with colleagues, and a greater ability to recognize and value their own contributions. One participant shared that the practice helped counter imposter syndrome by reinforcing confidence in her work. Several described pride rounds as a source of resilience—an intentional pause to acknowledge efforts such as successfully navigating a difficult patient interaction—which helped restore perspective during stressful periods and reduced feelings of burnout. Informally, participants have emphasized that hearing others’ pride statements fostered inspiration, motivation, and psychological safety, suggesting that the practice strengthens both team culture and individual emotional endurance.Our experience has also sparked interest beyond our team. A local adult palliative medicine team and a friend’s medical device corporate team both adopted pride rounds after learning about our practice. Seeing pride rounds adopted in other contexts has reinforced how a small, intentional practice can ripple outward, shaping a culture that honors growth, effort, and accomplishment.This momentum illustrates why pride rounds are a simple yet powerful tool for any team—clinical, teaching, or administrative—to build connection, recognize achievements, and cultivate a culture of acknowledgment. Creating space for pride offers a largely untapped opportunity in teaching settings, particularly for learners who may rarely see pride authentically modeled. Early success suggests that learners who witness this practice begin to embrace and model it themselves, potentially contributing to lasting cultural change. At the same time, the benefits of pride round extends well beyond educational environments; they offer any team a moment for reflection, mutual support, and recognition that might otherwise go unnoticed.In a culture often driven by perfectionism and productivity, pride rounds offer permission to be human, to celebrate progress without apology. This simple practice directly bolsters resilience and mitigates burnout and imposter syndrome. Most importantly, it offers a concrete, repeatable path toward flourishing—one authentic statement of self-pride at a time.