Undue recognition: Why the Birmingham Leadership Awards promote divisiveness
By Wade Kwon
The nonprofit groups came together at one point, back in 2006, to meet, to share, to collaborate. A new idea was taking hold: Birmingham-area volunteers and board members could find ways to help each other out. It was called the YP Roundtable.
In October, that same group decided it was time for a pat on the back. Several in fact. The group has partnered with the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce over the past three years. Now that the chamber is dead, the Birmingham Business Alliance has pushed for a new program, the Birmingham Leadership Awards.
Want to win the fawning praise for your formerly selfless good deeds? Let’s go through the process:
1. You nominate yourself. You fill out the form on behalf of yourself, in one of two categories: more than or less than 5 years “in the Young Professional scene.” Or you can nominate your own organization (the three categories divide entrants by size of group). You talk about yourself, your accomplishments and even provide two letters of recommendation.
2. Judges pick up to 10 individuals and three groups as winners. Who are the judges? They haven’t been revealed yet. What are their criteria? The form doesn’t say.
3. Bask in glory, noble humble winners. The awards ceremony takes place Dec. 1.
What was once a chance to collaborate has degenerated into unnecessary competition. What was once a chance for those working to help charities and causes through combined effort has become an exercise in self-importance.
When the winners are announced, take a hard look at each one of them. No one plucked them out of obscurity to hold them up as shining examples for a troubled city to admire, even emulate.
Each one of them chose to enter, as if to say, “Look at me. Reward me. Me me me.”
Good works deserve recognition. But did we have to make it so selfishly egotistically uncharitable?
What’s your take? How do we recognize community champions without creating another awards monster?
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 9:07 am
i thought that the honor of an award was for your peers to recognize you for your work. nominating yourself seems a bit self-indulgent and narcissistic. let another group that thinks that yps are deserving do it.
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 9:21 am
I should point out that I’ve send in plenty of award applications for journalism contests. But the judges look at the work itself (photo, story, headline, design) and pick winners. It doesn’t matter how you describe it — there’s no fooling the judges (I’ve judged a few journo contests, too).
You can nominate someone in the Birmingham Leadership Awards. But the nominee then receives the same application form and must decide whether to enter.
Thanks for the comment, tadaw.
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 9:32 am
Our sound bite culture is taking its cue from the entertainment industry, aka Award-a-Palooza. However, you can’t fault the BBA. They are simply trying to provide opportunities for their investors to shine. I would be much more apt to be interested in a Leadership Profiles initiative, rather than an awards program. Profiles could be featured throughout the year, rather than for one event and one story. My advertising background tells me that won’t happen.
There are so many truly selfless people in our community that lead by example–and not just from board seats. They lead in anonymity, they lead in jobs done for love instead of money. We may have to look a little harder to identify them, because they probably don’t have time for nomination forms.
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 11:03 am
Kate, I agree with your take. Too many awards, and yet those truly deserving slip by almost unnoticed. I know a handful of people who do the work year round, not for the recognition, but because it must be done.
Where I disagree is with how you characterize the Business Alliance’s move. They could work with the Roundtable to foster opportunities for everyone: members, investors, businesses and others. Instead, they come up with an idea, foist it upon the group and run with it.
How is that collaborative?
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 12:45 pm
Wade, I wasn’t up to speed on the history of the round table and how the BBA came to promote the awards. If they acted alone, then of course they can’t claim collaboration.
I’m in a BBA Entreprenuerial round table and nominations forms have been out for Entreprenuer of the Year. Yes another award. Apparently there hasn’t been overwhelming interest and the event might not happen.
Thursday, November 5, 2009, 3:07 pm
Why not identify successful entrepreneurs and new businesses and pair them with those just starting out? That would seem to be far more valuable to the business community as a whole.
My friend Brian has been doing just that with Birmingham Entrepreneur, but I suspect he can’t do it alone.
Sunday, November 8, 2009, 1:43 pm
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 8:24 pm
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