Award Submissions: Positioning Your Committee for an Effective Application

Successful committees are annually recognized for their strategic stewardship and development of programs, resources, and networking opportunities for ACCmembers.Many of these committee leaders execute their responsibilitieswith awards submissions in mind starting on Day 1 of their tenure, and collaborate with their incoming leaders to continue the activities without interruption even after their tenure. How can your committee achieve a winning nomination? Below are tips and advice to help you effectively tell your story and write a winning application.

Familiarize Yourself with the Award Categories and Timelines

  • There are three award categories:
  • Outstanding Small/Large Committee of the Year Award
  • Jonathan S. Silber Outstanding Committee Member of the Year Award
  • Committee Sponsor of the Year Award
  • The nomination period for the awards that will be made at the 2016 Annual Meeting runs from June 30, 2015 to July 1, 2016. Therefore, three months of your predecessor’s tenure is factored into your nomination. In order to set up the next team for success, careful planning has to take place to ensure that they start off the nomination period with a bang.
  • Note: Nominations must be received by June 23, 2016.
  • Other important timelines that determine the success of the committee:
  • The Committee Sponsorship Agreement – resources should be staggered evenly throughout the year. For example:
  • When a committee sponsor selects two webcasts, they should conduct one by June and the other closer to December. When a committee sponsor selects three webcasts, they should conduct one by May, the second near September, and the last near December. At the very least, work with your sponsor to ensure that they meet all obligations by the end of the calendar year.
  • The Annual Meeting Program Submissions – timely submissions of high quality programs will leave a powerful impression on the Awards Committee.
  • ACC Docket’s Editorial Calendar – each month has a dedicated theme. Check which theme coincides with your committee’s purview and consider submitting one or more articlesfor that given month.

Prepping for Award Submissions and Tracking Goals Over the Year

  • Incorporate the awards criteria into your strategic planning for the year.
  • Use the committee awards grid as a guide to tell your story. Don’t simply complete the grid with yes or no answers. Use the pre-filled guide to help you craft a narrative regarding how the committee used resources, programs, and other activities and initiatives to engage the membership and enhance the quality of programs, discussions, and member interactions.
  • Work with your committee sponsor to develop a resource production schedule, including providing feedback on which topics should be covered.

How to Go Above and Beyond ACC’s Expectations to Seal the Win

  • Push the limit. Your committee is not limited to producing the number of resources outlined in the committee sponsor agreement. Determine the goal that you believe will lead to a successful and engaged membership, and work with your sponsor and ACC to complement any resources that the Committee sponsor is unable to provide for the year.
  • Be innovative. Have you been hosting the same activities every year? Try new initiatives. It’s okay if they fail, but committees that thrive push their leadership to explore new projects and initiatives.
  • Evaluate and assess everything. Are you using communication tools to reach your members effectively? Are you maximizing other staff tools that ACC produces for its committee leadership? Are you incorporating feedback from members in to your planning and production of all activities?
  • Review ACC’s strategic goals and incorporate activities that contribute to the associations overall success. The following are some examples where committees can play vital roles:
  • Joint Committee/Chapter programs
  • Increasing Committee membership
  • Enhancing opportunities for in-house counsel to learn about soft skills and business
  • Advocacy efforts

Authors:

Allison Malin, Associate General Counsel, HGST, Inc.
Victor Morales, Legal Resources Manager, ACC

Larry Parsons, VP & CLO, McLane Company, Inc.

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