Who cares about winning an award?
After shaving this morning, I spent quite a few minutes looking in the mirror, practicing my unsurprised and non-disappointed look when they announced the name of another company as the winner of the Global Outlook and Expansion Award from the CBI (Confederation of British Industry), which recognises the company that has done exceptional work in expanding overseas, demonstrating an entrepreneurial and creative flair.
Of course, we should win it, but who can guarantee the judges will understand how brilliant we really are!
With my case packed with my brand new velvet dinner jacket (yes they are back in fashion), my wife Michele and I headed towards London to attend the awards, joining almost 500 people for this prestigious event. Joining us at the awards will be important customers from IBM and British Airways.
It is important that I get the expression right on my face when we don’t get the award. After all, you don’t want to be blubbering in front of your important customers.
Whilst in the loo on the train I practiced a ‘couldn‘t care less’ shrug as I looked in the mirror and nearly bumped my head as the train jolted to a stop. No, that look didn’t work. I looked too churlish. Why do we bother entering for awards? Is it ego? Is it a desperate need for recognition? Is it because we do not have much of a social life, but at least we have a dinner to attend? Maybe yes, a bit of all of these things.
However, I have to say unashamedly I am incredibly proud of our organisation and the 260 people who work in it on a full time basis and the 7,500 translators and interpreters who work for us on a contract basis, in over 62 different countries. I actually want to show off, and why not?
I hope that by showing off, the people who work in our company can have a sense of pride. It is because of them that we are winning awards. There is nothing more motivating than feeling like a winner.
So as I sat next to my esteemed guests, I told them: “It is brilliant we have got to the final selection”. “We don’t believe we have won the award because they normally check and see if you are coming and they haven’t, so we are assuming we are a runner up.”
“Never mind,” one of my esteemed guests patted me on my velvet sleeve, leaving a faint trace of butter that had been on her finger. “It really is an achievement to get here.”
“Liar!” I thought to myself. “Who wants to come and applaud someone else? Not me that’s for sure?”
With a benign smile on my face, I looked on as our names and photographs appeared along with the other four nominees.
My other guest from the esteemed airline whispered: “Have you prepared an acceptance speech?”
“Absolutely not” and that was true. “I am sure we haven’t won”
And the winner is…..
And of course it was thebigword. I was shocked and thrilled and terrified, as I went to make my acceptance speech.
Winners from the other categories had been so polished. There were no tears in their eyes as they walked in a dignified manner to the podium to deliver their acceptance speech. Why, oh why, did I run so fast towards that stage. Was it such bad form that I kissed William Hague as he introduced me? (See photo attached. He really does look as though he likes me).
I didn’t hear the laughter as I told them I was so thrilled I had won the award, as I had spent a fortune on my new expensive dinner jacket. But what a great experience. It was so exciting.
We have received hundreds of emails from translators, customers and friends. So if you are considering going for an award, why not? And even if we hadn’t won, we really would have had an enjoyable evening – but no way as enjoyable as the evening we did have!!
Of course, we should win it, but who can guarantee the judges will understand how brilliant we really are!
With my case packed with my brand new velvet dinner jacket (yes they are back in fashion), my wife Michele and I headed towards London to attend the awards, joining almost 500 people for this prestigious event. Joining us at the awards will be important customers from IBM and British Airways.
It is important that I get the expression right on my face when we don’t get the award. After all, you don’t want to be blubbering in front of your important customers.
Whilst in the loo on the train I practiced a ‘couldn‘t care less’ shrug as I looked in the mirror and nearly bumped my head as the train jolted to a stop. No, that look didn’t work. I looked too churlish. Why do we bother entering for awards? Is it ego? Is it a desperate need for recognition? Is it because we do not have much of a social life, but at least we have a dinner to attend? Maybe yes, a bit of all of these things.
However, I have to say unashamedly I am incredibly proud of our organisation and the 260 people who work in it on a full time basis and the 7,500 translators and interpreters who work for us on a contract basis, in over 62 different countries. I actually want to show off, and why not?
I hope that by showing off, the people who work in our company can have a sense of pride. It is because of them that we are winning awards. There is nothing more motivating than feeling like a winner.
So as I sat next to my esteemed guests, I told them: “It is brilliant we have got to the final selection”. “We don’t believe we have won the award because they normally check and see if you are coming and they haven’t, so we are assuming we are a runner up.”
“Never mind,” one of my esteemed guests patted me on my velvet sleeve, leaving a faint trace of butter that had been on her finger. “It really is an achievement to get here.”
“Liar!” I thought to myself. “Who wants to come and applaud someone else? Not me that’s for sure?”
With a benign smile on my face, I looked on as our names and photographs appeared along with the other four nominees.
My other guest from the esteemed airline whispered: “Have you prepared an acceptance speech?”
“Absolutely not” and that was true. “I am sure we haven’t won”
And the winner is…..
And of course it was thebigword. I was shocked and thrilled and terrified, as I went to make my acceptance speech.
Winners from the other categories had been so polished. There were no tears in their eyes as they walked in a dignified manner to the podium to deliver their acceptance speech. Why, oh why, did I run so fast towards that stage. Was it such bad form that I kissed William Hague as he introduced me? (See photo attached. He really does look as though he likes me).
I didn’t hear the laughter as I told them I was so thrilled I had won the award, as I had spent a fortune on my new expensive dinner jacket. But what a great experience. It was so exciting.
We have received hundreds of emails from translators, customers and friends. So if you are considering going for an award, why not? And even if we hadn’t won, we really would have had an enjoyable evening – but no way as enjoyable as the evening we did have!!
