They Don’t Give Out Crystal Balls

June 4th, 2012

That’s right. Award judges do not have crystal balls.

Given some of the award submission draft I have seen, it seems there are otherwise intelligent, competent people out there who believe that they can submit vague, incomplete stories and that the judges will somehow divine the missing details.

They won’t. They can’t.

To wit, an “open letter” of advice from a veteran judge of ASTD Best, a global ranking of corporate learning organizations.

“…I know in my gut that something truly amazing is being done, but the write up doesn’t adequately describe it. I can’t judge the entry on what I’m almost certain is true. I have to rate the submission on what it actually reports.”

They don’t give judges crystal balls – YOU have to TELL THEM your story.

This wise adjudicator also expresses a concern:

“I worry that learning organizations are not being fully recognized because they are not doing the best job they can of explaining their accomplishments.”

Indeed. This is why a growing number of learning organizations have hired me, not only to help them win industry awards but also to compellingly explain their accomplishments internally.

And I LOVE helping talented individuals and their teams get the credit, recognition and respect they deserve.

 

Read the entire Talking the Walk: An Open Letter to BEST Award Applicants

 

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Learning Program and Team Awards 2009-2014

ORGANIZATION / CATEGORY DESIGNATION

ASTD Excellence in Practice

Technical Training Award
Training Management Citation (for new programs)
Learning Technology Citation
Workplace Learning & Collaboration–Leadership Development (x2) Award, Citation
Workplace Learning & Collaboration–Onboarding Citation
Sales Enablement Citation

Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning

Best Custom Content Gold
Best in Learning Strategy and Governance Gold
Best Leadership Development Program Gold
Best Innovation in Learning Technology Silver
Best Leadership Sales Training Silver
Best Integration of Learning and Talent Management Bronze
Best Use of Games for Learning Bronze

Brandon Hall Technology Excellence

Best Advance in Social Learning Technology Gold

CLO Magazine Learning in Practice

Technology Innovation Gold, Division 1
Innovation Gold, Division 1
Business Impact Gold, Division 2
Business Impact Bronze, Division 2

 

Learning Organization Ranking Awards

ORGANIZATION / AWARD NOTES

American Society for Training & Development

ASTD BEST #1 (up from #32 in one year)
#2 (up from #37 in two years)

ELearning! Media Group

Learning! 100 #1 (first year on list)

Chief Learning Officer Magazine

LearningElite #1, #4

Training Magazine

 Training Top 125 #1, #2 (up from #41 in one year)
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