The Women Extraordinaire Award

There’s an interesting phenomenon about awards: awards beget other awards. When an award committee sees that the nominee has won other awards, they are impressed. They say to themselves, “Wow, she must be good. Look at all these other awards she's won!”

Analyze the criteria for the awards you’re interested in. I’m a big believer in not trying to stretch it if you don’t qualify. For Triangle Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award (40 leaders under 40 years of age), don’t enter if you are already 41.

If the rules for an award state that you must be in the industry for five years, and you’ve only been active in that industry for three, it’ll be embarrassing when you get caught in a lie. And you will get caught!

Look at the award criteria carefully. Some criteria are loosey-goosey, while others are strict. Some you enter online and only need a paragraph of information, while others, such as the SBA Small Business of the Year, have enormously difficult and complex entry requirements.

If an award specifies you must submit the nomination in a 1.5inch white binder, they mean exactly what they say. You don’t want your submission thrown out because you submitted an original and 2 copies when they asked for an original and 3 copies. Follow the directions to the letter.

Women Extraordinaire is an award given by Raleigh-based magazine publisher Business Leader Media, publisher of Business Leader Magazine, The Park Guide, The Corporate Relocation Guide, Women in the Triangle and Triangle Real Estate, as well as national newsstand publications Money ‘N Profits and Opportunity World. Rules for the 2007 Women Extraordinaire award state that the following criteria should be found in the nominees:

• Is she a woman of outstanding accomplishments?
• Is she a leader, innovator, problem-solver and inspiration?
• Is she a mentor to others?
• Does she server the community by making a difference?
• Is she a nurturer of family and friends?
• Is she held in high regard by those in her circle?

Women interested in winning this award should look carefully at these criteria. Notice the language they use to describe the criteria, and spit this same verbiage back at them in your nomination letters. Give specific examples of how you have mentored others or why you are a problem-solver.

Winning this award is quite an honor and will garner you substantial publicity. Winners become a member of a select circle of powerful business women in the Triangle.