Business Basics 101: Awards should go to more than actors

|tab|

Recently, I watched the Emmy's. There were lots of wonderful gowns and big, bleached smiles. It was great. For each category, TV's brightest stars were announced. The cameras are turned to the nominees as another glamorous actor opened the envelope and the winner is |ret||ret||tab|

What a moment for Halle Berry, Sela Ward and Jack Lemmon, and all the other actors. How nice that producers, directors and others behind-the-scene players also got the chance to take the stage and say, "I'd like to thank my agent and lawyer, and, oh yeah, my husband!"|ret||ret||tab|

We should do this award thing more often. Oh, I don't suggest we add another program to honor the TV, theatre and movie crowd. They have done a fine job acknowledging every person in every genus, species and phylum of their industry. Here are some award shows that I would love to see:|ret||ret||tab|

Outstanding Achievement in Good Manners Awards|ret||ret||tab|

The "Smooth Handling" Awards for Customer Service|ret||ret||tab|

The Student Teacher Awards for Survival and Good Humor|ret||ret||tab|

The Service Technician Awards industry specific for plumbing, heating, cooling, electrical, electronics and small appliance|ret||ret||tab|

The First Aid, CPR and Heimlich Maneuver Achievement Awards|ret||ret||tab|

The Child Care Awards recognizing amateurs (friends and relatives) and professionals (parents and paid baby sitters)|ret||ret||tab|

What happens when people get acknowledged for what they do and praised for their accomplishments? Well, they want to do even more and do it even better. |ret||ret||tab|

You know what's even better than award shows? The Olympics! Athletes face off for the crown of fastest, highest and best. What a show! And look at the faces on the athletes when they win their medals. Hard work and accomplishment goals and dreams realized. We are well served to drench these champions with praise and medals. What is so important about pole vaulting or trampoline bouncing? Nothing really. These games are simply vehicles for devoted athletes to elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary. When we watch, we get to go along for the ride. Inspired, we can commit to raising the bar in our own lives, too.|ret||ret||tab|

Why not host an award show, or an Olympic competition at your company? For instance, how about The Fine Dining Olympics? Sure, it is a kooky idea. But, if you own a restaurant, I suggest you give it a go. |ret||ret||tab|

Food servers can enter the "one-handed full-tray through-the-dining room" foot race. A spill disqualifies you. The fastest time wins.|ret||ret||tab|

dumping event. Points off for scattering ashes or starting a fire.|ret||ret||tab|

flip event. The cooks go fry pan to fry pan with sizzling mushrooms. The cook with the highest flipped-and-caught-mushroom ratio wins|ret||ret||tab|

Pentathlon: glass washing, garnish preparation, distance pouring and speed blending. Plus a freestyle event: artfully cutting off a patron who has had one too many.|ret||ret||tab|

Offer paper crowns and tinfoil medals as prizes. Invite family and friends to cheer and holler as the winners are announced. Pause respectfully while the winner thanks too many people and takes up too much time. |ret||ret||tab|

But, let the winner stand on the stage or podium long enough to bask in his or her pride and accomplishment. |ret||ret||tab|

Winning is wonderful. We should do it more often. |ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|(Ellen Rohr of Rogersville helps folks make a living at doing what they love. She is a business book author and consultant. She can be reached via e-mail at sbj@sbj.net)|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

[[In-content Ad]]