Employer Recognition and Awards

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Employer Recognitionand Awards

• ESGR Leadership Conference 2003
• New Initiatives and New Successes
• New Orleans, LA
• 24 27 June 2003

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Non-Attribution

• All Comments are NON-ATTRIBUTION
• No intent to BASH any persons or organizations!
• Its OK to question authority but you must raise
  your hand first and with respect!

3
The Challenge

• The Challenge to run an Awards Program can become
  a Crisis.
• Crisis danger opportunity.
• Finding the Solution can become an impetus to
  Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome!

4
The Team

• CW4 Margaret Birney
• Office of the Adjutant General, North Dakota
• Ms. Venna Bishop
• Area Chair, San Jose, CA
• Johnny Dwiggins
• Awards Chair North Carolina
• SFC Susan Meyer
• Office of the Adjutant General, Iowa
• Dr. Mel Prostkoff
• Awards Chair New Hampshire

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Awards Program

• The Awards Program is not perfectand probably
  will never be perfect.
• However, its a lot better than it was.
• We believe we can continue the improvements with
  the participation of all Stakeholders.

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Awards Program

• We, the STAKEHOLDERS are all part of the problem
• National ESGR
• State Committees
• Odyssey
• ESGR Web site
• RC members
• Troop Commanders
• Employers
• We must all be part of the solution!

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Awards Program

• Running an Awards Program is not brain surgery..
• Sometimes brain surgery is much easier!

8
Awards Process Flow

• National ESGR Strategic Plan
• Centralized strategy guidance framework
• De-centralized process, execution, tactics, and
  operations
• Execution dependent on primary support provider
  (State Guard or Reserve commands)
• This model works well for Employer Recognition
  and Awards Program
• Requires autonomy and accountability by each
  Stakeholder

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The Process

• Telephone interviews and e-mail to identify
  commonality of best practices and concerns in the
  five states represented.
• We talked, we met, we worked, we revised.

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Diversity State-to-State

• Best Practices
• Some best practices are unique to a given state
• Some are shared
• Issues, Concerns Challenges
• Individualized
• Shared
• 5-state polling results is likely statistically
  representative of all 55 committees

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Diversity State-to-State (cont)

• Each state Awards Program various stages of
  evolution, growth, and technological
  sophistication
• Most programs are cross-functional and members
  are multi-tasked
• Awards plus some Public Affairs, Unit Liaison,
  Mission One, Ombudsman, Boss Lift, Brief with
  Boss Family Programs

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Diversity State-to-State (cont)

• Awards Chairs can be full time or part-time
• Military (RC or Retired) or Civilian volunteer
• Process and work flow governed by
• Number of Guardsmen Reservists
• Geography
• Number of Mobilization stations in state
• Individuals involved experience level -
  tradition

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Levels of Employer Recognition
Freedom
Pro Patria
Formerly known as State Chair
Above Beyond
MBIAP
Per ESGR Operations Guide
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Levels of Awards Other
Seven Seals
State Certificates
State Coins
Statement Of Support
Spirit of Volunteerism
James M. Roche
Outstanding Public Service Medal
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MBIAP Awards Processing

• MBIAP Submission
• On-line submissions to ESGR Website or
• Hard copy submissions to
• Odyssey
• State Awards Program
• Collected audited by unit liaison personnel
  during IDT visits or Mobilization Briefings
• ESGR Unit Liaison personnel submit to Odyssey
• Units submit directly to Odyssey
• Some states are a combination of the above
• Some committees process print MBIAP
  certificates locally

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Awards Progression

• Follow the rules
• Progressive
• Employer recognition should be Awards not
  Rewards!

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MBIAPAwards Processing (cont)

• MBIAP Tracking/Control/Audit/Notification
• Enter into Access database prior to submission
• Enter into Excel based on documentation received
  from Odyssey
• Hard copy binders/files
• Keep everyone in the loop through communication
  and information flow ( Committees, Nominator
  Commanders)
• Absence of functional National Awards database
  lack of uniformity 55 processes

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MBIAPAwards Processing (cont)

• MBIAP Presentation
• Odyssey mails to nominator, unit or committees
  per instruction on award nomination
• Differences in on-line vs. hard form lends to
  confusion
• Odyssey mails to some states for distribution per
  specific guidance from states
• State committee sometimes makes presentation in
  coordination with nominator and commander
• Work place, Briefing with the Boss, Unit
  functions
• Strive for company-wide event
• Reservist in uniform
• Pins the Boss in an Attention to Orders type
  ceremony

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Other MBIAP Considerations

• Multiple nominations in same company from one RC
  submitter
• Multiple nominations in different companies from
  one RC submitter who has several civilian jobs
• Same Boss/Supervisor nominated by several
  different RC members
• Nominations by RC member for Boss/Supervisor of
  Spouse
• Distribution of Awards to employers in other
  states
• Distribution of Awards when Commanders live in a
  different state than Employer

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Above Beyond

• Selection Process
• Formal board similar to promotion boards
• OR
• Selected by State Chair, Exec Dir, Area Chair,
  Awards Chair, Exec Com, etc
• Above Beyond top 10 of MBIAP
• Should be based on levels of support as indicated
  in narrative
• Knowledge of Company policies, procedures, and
  level of support
• Award Not Reward!

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Above Beyond (cont)

• Presentation
• Same as MBIAP
• State Committee Meeting
• Dining Out on Military installation or at hotel
• Reserve Service Chief or higher rank Flag/GO as
  guest speaker and presenter
• Attended by TAG and other Flag/GO with command in
  state
• Mess Dress/Black Tie type event
• Service Bands
• State and National elected officials
• Press Releases
• PAO Media coverage

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Pro Patria

• Selection Criteria
• Same as Above Beyond
• Selected from Above and Beyond winners
• 1 Pro Patria per state some exceptions
• Award Not Reward!

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Freedom Award

• Five Regional winners some states do not play
• Through 1999 one winner and four runners-up
• Five regional winners since 2000
• Issue to be resolved
• Should there be separate categories based on size
  of company?
• Break point for small vs large company?

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Freedom Award

• Most committees submit their Pro Patria for
  annual Freedom Award consideration
• Youve Got to Be In It to Win It!
• Partner with nominated company to ensure best
  possible submission for Freedom Award
• Understand depth breadth of their involvement
  with and commitment to the Military in general
  and to the Guard and Reserve in specific

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Issues, Concerns Challenges

• Quality Control of data input/output and Award
  certificates (Garbage In Garbage Out - GIGO)
• Opportunity for replacement if original is
  incorrect
• It is embarrassing to all Stakeholders if we show
  up with an incorrect MBIAP certificate
• Quality begins with nominator submitting the form
  accurately completely
• Quality control required at each step of the
  process.
• Make blank MBIAP certificates available to
  committees

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Issues, Concerns Challenges

• Local procurement often less expensive and more
  cost effective than Odyssey
• Funding Reimbursement
• Need uniform Awards database available to all
  committees
• Discrepancies between on-line and hard copy MBIAP
  nominations (distribution section on form)
• Committees depend on RC member or unit for
  notification of award receipt
• Most committees only receive undeliverable
  awards

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Issues, Concerns Challenges

• Provide copies of actual nomination forms to
  committees
• Include copy of actual nomination form, including
  narrative, when award certificate is mailed
• Integrate data on awards that are printed locally
  into the National database
• Options for frames vs. folders
• Turn around time must be better understood

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Issues, Concerns Challenges

• Need for uniform policies, procedures, protocols,
  processes, and standards for awards to be adhered
  to by all Stakeholders
• Sometimes, changes are not communicated uniformly
  by National ESGR (Regional variances)
• Communication and/or authorizations from Regional
  Deputy Directors are not consistent
• Everyone must be on the same sheet of music!

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Caveats

• All stakeholders must operate in joint mode as
  is the case with the branches we support
• Communicate, collaborate, cooperate integrate
  with each other
• Dont re-invent the wheel - learn from each other
• Beware of self-defined excellence!
• Allow our customer base to evaluate us

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Caveats (cont)

• Quality first, Quality second, Quality always!
• Detail! Detail! Detail!
• ESGR is still a volunteer organization!?!
• We all need more help
• Its not more work - Its other opportunities to
  excel!
• When done properly, Awards program provides
  significant entry point leverage for other
  programs (Briefing with the Boss, Boss Lifts,
  Statements of Support, Ombudsman, etc)
• Beware Todays great employer may be tomorrows
  Ombudsman challenge

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Caveats (cont)

• Communication is the key!
• None of us likes surprises!
• No I in Team
• Were all on the same team
• One Team, One Voice, One Mission!
• The whole is greater than the sum of the parts
• Everything takes longer than it takes!

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Recommendation

• Annual get together of all Awards Chairs to share
  Best Practices, issues and challenges, and to
  brainstorm process improvements and solutions at
• Annual Leadership conference
• Separate conference
• Regional meetings
• Networking involved with preparing this
  presentation demonstrated the need for ongoing
  dialogue

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Thank You

• Questions?