SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR |  RSS | | REPRINT
|
On Top of Real Recognition: Top 10 Lessons Learned from the MTV Video Music Awards
October 14, 2009
By Roy Saunderson
For those of us responsible for corporate awards events, we know about the time, energy, and frustration that go into them. Every unexpected and unforeseen circumstance is prepared for in advance. Itineraries are checked and rechecked. Awards are safely kept. Rehearsals are played out to clockwork. Corporate awards events should be annual highlights producing spectacular memories for all.
Yet, anything can still happen, evidenced by Kanye West's intrusion of Taylor Swift's awards speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. Here are some lessons learned from the incident that can be applied to all of us for any awards program.
1. Don’t rain on someone else’s parade. No matter how you feel about an award winner, never steal the show by "pulling a Kanye," grandstanding by taking the microphone away from the winner or jumping in on a toast. You make the award recipient feel bad and you make yourself look even worse.
2. Be content with the judges' decision. You have to trust that each judge followed the judging criteria, scored accordingly, and collectively agreed on the final outcome.
3. Put the spotlight back on the star. No matter what strange happenings occur at an awards function, the emcee must be ready to do anything to put the spotlight back on the recipient.
4. Be confident with the winning appraisal. Poor Swift wondered if the booing from the audience was directed at her with all the upset caused by West’s intrusion. Recipients should feel totally confident with a judging panel’s evaluation of their performance.
5. Someone is always listening. There was President Barack Obama making off-the-cuff comments about West the next day thinking he was off-mic. Always be careful what words you use when giving critical feedback as you can be heard and broadcasted.
6. Honor the winner with class and style. When Beyonce Knowles had the stage afterward, she did a classy thing by inviting Swift back on stage to receive the acknowledgement and acclaim from the cheering audience she rightfully deserved.
7. Bury the hatchet on negative people. Swift responded wisely to the whole controversy. After a few interviews discussing her experience but not judging West, she closed the door on continued media attention by requesting no more questions on the topic.
8. “Teardrops on my guitar.” It is so easy and understandable to get frustrated and annoyed when someone ruins an award presentation. Try your best to separate your feelings from the reality of a person’s inappropriate actions.
9. Don’t tolerate negative people. The only reason negative people get away with their actions is because no one has told them it’s not right. This time the MTV Video Music Awards audience disapproved loud and clear, and having President Obama chime in gave the world’s view unequivocally.
10. Treasure your award no matter what. Swift won her award fair and square, and the brouhaha that followed, along with her correct response, gave her more media attention than if nothing had happened that night. It will be an award long remembered for a career achievement and a night never to be forgotten.
Incentive online columnist Roy Saunderson is author of Giving the Real Recognition Way and president of the Recognition Management Institute, www.realrecognition.com, which consults companies on improving employee motivation that leads to increased productivity and profits. He can be reached at roysaunderson@realrecognition.com.
|
SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS |
|
|
| Back to Incentive Index |
|
 |
advertisement |
|
|
