Rewards are Risky Business

Companies and organizations love to recognize their greybeards. Why, in just this past week, we’ve seen two “Lifetime Achievement” award ceremonies. Certainly, it’s fine to recognize years of service, long term accomplishments and contributors with deep pockets. But, as you might have guessed, we have a better idea.

Our idea is this – don’t wait to give out those awards. Give out your biggest and most coveted honors early and often. And, furthermore, give them out to employees just starting out, to members who barely qualify for your professional designations and to all those daft and dewy-eyed dopes who keep dreaming up impossible hopes (thank you again, Rodgers and Hammerstein).

What?! Well, hear us out.

In essence, that’s what The Boulder County Business Report does when it presents its Annual IQ Awards. For nine years now, this event has honored start-up companies who do new, innovative and risky things.

Yes, it is true that long-term employees, associates and members might also be doing new, innovative and even risky things – but, think about it. Think about that venerable icon that won your last Lifetime Achievement Award. Ask yourself, “Did they get the award for doing something new?”

You know the answer.

Ask yourself if they are doing anything new and innovative like:

Creating new and simpler ways for people to buy things on your web site? (ClickBank.com)

Providing new ways to sift through and manage critical news about your competition and customers? (FiltrBox.com)

Offering a luxury travel club where you only stay in homes worth several million dollars (Quintess.com)

Coordinating non-profits to assure students in need have backpacks of school supplies (CrayonsToCalculators.org)

These are just a handful of the 30 or so incredible nominees for this year’s IQ Awards.

(By the way, our friends over at Eventvue.com have been nominated in the “Internet/Software – Business” category. We wrote about them recently in “The Wall Street Journal Weighs in on Our Blog.”)

Most all of the candidates in the 10 categories are just starting out on their journey to a lifetime of achievement. Each winner will get a huge boost in morale, attention and cold hard cash.

Think about it. Who needs the time in the spotlight and those calls from investors the most? In your organization, do you give your recognition to the folks with the grey hair or the folks with the great ideas? Do you highlight the achievements of the past or the visions of the future? Will your membership grow because you look back or because you are moving forward?

These IQ Awards are on to something big. Go see them and take notes. Oh, and also say hello to some of the most innovative thinkers in the country. Not a bad way to spend an evening.

Editor’s Note: You can catch the action this Thursday, Aug. 14, at the Stadium Club at Folsum Field on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. 5:30 PM so don’t be late. (Register online at www.IQAwards.com or call the Boulder County Business Report at 303-440-4950)