The Westpac Business Awards Season is well under way. I have been very pleased with the number of "intent to enter" notifications and more importantly, the spread of entries across all six categories.
As we have experienced in recent years there is a mix of returning entrants and others for whom this is the first time. One of the key values of entering business awards is making a commitment to a continuous improvement process. The process of completing the entry form is one of business evaluation. It can be used as a team project which will result in a realistic assessment of business processes and can produce a collective agreement on where improvements can be made. Whenever I have the opportunity to talk with aspiring entrants I emphasise that I am not aware of any company that is 100 per cent competent in all that they do. There is always capacity to learn and improve. The key is the willingness to look critically at all your systems. The awards entry process prompts a business to do just that.
The judging process adds a further dimension to that review. Opening the business to two from the judging panel to conduct an external evaluation of the business systems possibly removes the blinkers. There is an old saying, "Can't see the wood for the trees". Looking at the operation with a fresh pair of eyes can identify enhancements previously not considered. The judge's feedback can contribute considerably to the continuous improvement process.
This approach to the awards entry process has resulted in some companies repeating their entry in successive years, each time improving the quality of their entry. Even those that savour success in a category, use the process to set their sights even higher. Salon St Bruno is an excellent example of this. A category winner of the Unison Service Provider Business Award in 2010, they re-entered in 2011 with the objective of winning the ultimate award in 2011, the Westpac Business of The Year.
As a Chamber we practice what we preach with our progressive entries in the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards, claiming an acknowledged entry in 2008, a finalist in 2009 and winner of two categories in 2010. These awards have now been taken over by Auckland University of Technology and will again be judged in 2012.