►Go to the Awards Writing Team Website◄

• ACLOC (Auxiliary Commandant Letter of Commendation)

• Charles S. Greanoff Inspirational Leadership Award (Flotilla Commander)

 

Awards as a vehicle of Recognition and Thanks in the Auxiliary:

"Love Them or Lose Them" - Burn that into your brain. "Love Them or Lose Them." That's the mantra of a volunteer organization. In fact it's a mantra of good corporations and even the US Military. That's the reality that a good unit leader understands in his/her bones.

In the Auxiliary, awards cannot be another item on a harried unit-leader's "to-do when I get a chance" list. It has to be an integral and systematic part of the routine of managing your unit.

Let's talk about presenting awards.  The presentation of an award is far more important than the achieving of an award. The award itself is a vehicle, a reason to single out, for recognition and praise, a member of our volunteer Auxiliary. A member of your unit. So the way in which awards are presented is absolutely critical to the purpose of the award.

How many have experienced this:  "Hey Joe, I think you received some another award of some kind but I forgot the package on my desk at home. You get lots of awards so I'll just mail it to you."

OR

At the unit meeting, after calling the recipients up to receive their award: "Let's see here, this award has something to do with achievement or something. Heck, you guys know what it's for anyway so I'm not going to read this whole citation. Let's see... blah, blah, blah... oh yeah, this is for that oil spill thing, last month. Just grab a ribbon so we can get out of here."

OR

At the unit meeting, after throwing a plastic bag of ribbons on to the table: "I guess we all get one of these, but I have no idea why. Some National award I guess. Anyway, if you want one take one, we have lots."

OR

As a unit leader is approached after awards by a new member who says: "I participated in that event and I was wondering why I was left out of the award?" And is answered with "Hey, it's not my fault, I have no control over that stuff. I guess you're just out of luck."

OR

Or the member who asks at a meeting: "I heard that I might have won an award at the District meeting but I was not there. Can you tell me about that?" To be answered with: "Yeah, I think I remember that. I guess they'll eventually get it sent to me and I'll get it to you somehow. Ask me next month"

OR

"What another one? You must have connections!"

OR

"Now we have to go through all of these awards and we're going to be here all night. How about we skip it and I'll send them to you?"  Do you have other real examples? I'd like to hear them.  How does it feel, when you hear this kind of comment about your award?  We all make it into a joke, but it feels lousy. And members vote with their feet.  The point is that it's the presentation of the award that is important.

It is the recognition that occurs in front of your fellow members that is the purpose and goodness of awards. If you blow that off, you might as well have never begun the award, because you threw away all the value and all of the effort it took to get it.

Unit leaders must make maximum effort to single out for recognition their awardees. Present your awards to your members with great pride and praise. It's to your advantage as it pays big dividends in retention and enthusiasm.

Unit leaders and staff officers should go out of their way to shake hands, congratulate and thank their unit awardees. Try to remember how excited you were when you received that first award. Make their experience a special event.

A single award can and should be awarded multiple times. District if appropriate / re-awarded at division if appropriate, certainly re-awarded at flotilla. Think about inviting awardees' friends and family. Make sure your PA and PS are in the loop and ask for their help to promote.

If you have other ideas, send them!

awt@d13cgaux.org