I was shortlisted for a role model award at work
I reflect on how this nomination reminded me of an award I got in high school for leadership.
This month, I was delighted to find out I was shortlisted for a role model award at my job. I didn’t win, but it still felt special to be one of the three people shortlisted, out of a total 25 nominations submitted for the role model category.
This award was part of the first ever University Secretary’s Group (USG) Recognition Awards. USG, the professional service group I work in at the University of Edinburgh, started the awards this year to celebrate the great work done by colleagues across the group.
I submitted an award for my team in the collaboration category about the great work we’ve done with the University's Student Immigration Service since 2022. Sadly, we didn’t get shortlisted for this, but it’s work I’m proud of and worth shouting about.
What I thought my boss was going to nominate me for
My boss told me he was going to submit a nomination for me a few months ago. When he told me this, I didn’t remember what all the categories in the awards were, but I assumed he was going to nominate me for whatever one was the this-person-does-really-well-at-their-job award.
When my boss finally shared the nomination he wrote about me, I was surprised to find out he submitted me for the role model award.
He wrote the kindest paragraph about me. He talked about my efforts to design a more inclusive hiring process for our team, and how I set a great example for the higher ed sector through writing about and presenting on my work. It was really heartwarming to read.
It’s not that I didn’t think I was worthy of such a nomination. It’s that it didn’t match my expectation of how my boss perceived me, and how I perceive myself.
My boss thinks I’m great at what I do. He regularly tells me this. I think I’m great at what I do. Because of this, my expectation was he would nominate me for an award that essentially said I was a ‘good worker’.
The surprise I felt reminded me of a similar surprise I had 13 years ago when I was a senior in high school.
When I wanted to be recognized for academics but I got recognized for leadership
Growing up, one of my local grocery stores gave out awards every quarter to seniors in the local high schools for different categories. It was called ShopRite Stars.
The categories were things like sports, arts, and academics. You got your picture taken, and it hung in the ShopRite next to the checkouts for everyone to see.
When I was in school, I hoped I would one day be one of those seniors on the ShopRite wall with an award for academics. I was very much an academically-orientated kid. My goal in school was to study, study, study and get the best grades.
When I finally became a senior, one quarter, I got the good news that I was a ShopRite STAR…but not for academics. I got it for leadership.
I remember that feeling like a downer at the time. I was salutatorian of my graduating class. Why was I getting the leadership award? I wanted to be known for being smart, not for leadership. What did a leadership award even mean?
I rather be remembered as a leader and role model
It’s funny how 13 years later, I had a similar reaction to my boss nominating me for a role model award. Even now, my first instinct was to view myself as I did in high school. It was ‘smart’ then; it’s ‘good worker’ now.
But I’ve matured and changed since high school. So while my initial reaction to my role model nomination might have been similar to my high school award reaction, I view leadership differently now.
Now, I rather be remembered as a leader and role model. Those are things that matter and are meaningful.
Who cares about what grades I got in school or what good work I do at Edinburgh? What matters is not the good work itself I do, but how it makes demonstrable and beneficial change for people. What matters is how I show up for others and help people. What matters is being a decent human being.
So thank you to my boss for nominating me for such a meaningful award. And thanks to the teachers in high school who nominated by for the leadership award back then when I might not have appreciated it as much as I do now. You have been and were such incredible role models to me.
