Career

My friends and I watched the Emmy Awards Sunday night. To make it more interesting I printed ballots and each of us put $5 into the pot with the funds going to whomever had the highest number of matches.

First, let me say we were all surprised at how few of the shows we watch, so it really turned into a guess, and not even an educated one at that. But then it got me thinking – the film, music and television industry loves to give out awards, but what about the rest of us?

Most of us will spend 40 years or more working hard without ever getting an award to recognize our effort. Think about it – an actor plays one role, ONE, and if they win an Oscar or an Emmy, they are forever known as Academy Award winner or Emmy winner (fill in the name here). Even if they never act again. The same goes for Grammy Awards – even a one hit wonder can land someone the gold statue and a place in the record books.

How many of us are recognized for an exceptional job on a specific assignment? Some bosses will tell you your paycheck alone is your award. But even if you are lucky enough to receive an award, it certainly doesn’t “stick” with you for a lifetime like the Oscar, Emmy or Grammy. And what about a lifetime in a specific field or with the same company? Although working for a single company your entire career is becoming a rarer feat it seems to warrant recognition of some kind.

I think professional sports has a more realistic approach when they retire a jersey or when they induct a player into the Hall of Fame. These actions recognize an athlete for a career’s work vs. a particular game or set of games.

For the general population there is no jersey to retire, and it is unreasonable to think about memorializing someone’s work cube or office, but wouldn’t it be great if we had the option of being elected into a Hall of Fame? It would certainly go a long way in recognizing the dedication, knowledge and skill set we possess and shared with so many over the course of our lifetime.

So for all those corporate executives out there…..something to think about.