There is so much hype about the Oscars here in Los Angeles, that most Angelenos can’t wait for them to hand out Oscars, reopen Hollywood Boulevard and let us get on with “real life.” For Angelenos in the “Industry”, this is the highlight of the year. Winning an Oscar guarantees at least an additional $25 million for the film, and almost assures that the winning actors and technical people will have a job next year. Since most people in Hollywood work freelance, they truly are only as good as this year’s work. It is a tough life.
It is interesting to note that you don’t get an Oscar for making the most money. You are voted in by a group of your peers. The honor of receiving the tribute from your peers in such an insecure industry cannot be understated. It has created deep pockets of validation in the souls of talented and highly insecure performers year after year.
Think about how this could apply in your organization. In most businesses, the awards go to the people who make the company the most money. That is usually the most successful sales people. The result is that many people who are appreciated by their peers, and who are the basis for your company’s success year after year, go unrecognized. Management sees them as just doing their job. You pay them to do what they do. Recognition is not systematically awarded. You miss them if they leave and maybe only then realize how much they contributed to your success.
Some companies have instant awards or weekly nominations for employees who went out of their way to help a customer or another employee solve a problem, meet a deadline, or close a deal. The best part of that scenario is that it is one employee nominating another employee. It encourages team work and responsiveness. It rewards the behaviors you might want to see in your company.
So why not hand out Oscars to your outstanding performers? Just, please don’t shut down Hollywood Boulevard when you do it. Thanks!
image courtesy of fastmovieblog.blogspot.com