The four key points that judges use to adjudicate business awards

I was recently asked to judge a prestigious business award, and it got me wondering if I had what it took to do that job. I have written quite a few submissions, and I have been an entrant in this particular award on four different occasions. That was the first criteria for the invitation to be a judge; you have to be in the alumni family. 

In my early days of writing submissions, I had never thought about what would happen after the writing process. I knew it went off to be judged, but I did not know who would see it or what they would do with the information. How silly was that! I was giving my knowledge and intellectual property away without checking who was going to see it — but not anymore. The judging process has changed my whole perspective.

The second question I had to ask myself was whether I had time to commit to the process.

“We anticipate that it will take 40-45 hours in your own time over three months,” I was told.

That’s four hours a week. I thought, ‘Yes, I can commit to that’. Then we delve further into the process and find out that it is not evenly spaced over the three months. It is, in fact, two two-week stints and then a full three days within three months. That’s 18 hours a week. 

But that’s okay, I can commit to that, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m going to be playing a vital role in identifying the businesses that are moving Australia forward. That is exciting, and I want to be a part of that. 

Now, as an entrant, I have tremendous respect for the word count that is given. I giggle to myself about previous entries where I waffled on and on because I thought I had an extraordinary story to tell. My apologies to those judges that spent their time reading my life story. To award applicants: don’t do that! 

1. Non-disclosure agreements

Incoming, I’m starting to get excited, and I’m looking forward to the e-mails arriving in my inbox. When I see them land, my heart flutters, and I open them instantly. Then bam, ‘Please sign this non-disclosure agreement.’

Wow! I’ve heard about non-disclosure agreements, but I’d never been asked to sign one. You know, I’d never been to the Playboy mansion and had to keep my mouth shut, and so this was a bit of a surprise. I look it up, and a non-disclosure agreement is a contract by which one or more parties agree not to disclose confidential information they have shared as a necessary part of doing business together.

I have a lawyer friend check it out, and I get the go-ahead to sign it. I am now contracted to keep my mouth shut. OK, I can do that; I can keep a secret. While that process was scary as a judge, it was an enormous weight lifted as an entrant. 

2. Conflicts of interest

During the judges’ briefing, we are all asked to point out any conflicts of interest immediately. Before reading any submissions, we are given a small amount of information about the business that we are about to adjudicate. Then we can check to see if we have any preconceived ideas about the company or if we have family, friendships, financial, or social factors that could compromise our ability to make a fair and impartial decision.

I start to feel this role’s great weight and responsibility, and my shoulders broaden to carry it. I feel very proud to have been asked, and I read the judge’s pledge and think, yes, I can follow through on this commitment with integrity and keep my strong ethical principles firmly intact.  

3. Unconscious bias

But they don’t want my strong ethical principles; judging needs unbiased opinions.

Watch Kristen Pressner’s TEDx talk on YouTube for a further explanation. I was pretty blown away with what she had to say, and I became more aware of my thoughts and how I could better manage them. I became enlightened on unconscious bias in a way I’d never thought about before. 

I’d always been very proud of myself for being able to make quick decisions and stand by them for as long as needed. I can be very stubborn in that way, and it is hard to sway me if I have made a decision, but I wouldn’t be able to break it down and tell you why I had made it. It was all a gut feeling, and if it felt right to me, I was sticking with it. I am now educated that it was more likely to be my unconscious biases.

We are all biased, it’s an unconscious education that begins at birth, and if I hadn’t decided to take this journey, I might have never learnt this lesson. I will now try to be slower to make decisions, a little more critical of how my brain works, and hopefully catch those biased thoughts before they catch me.

4. Criteria over style

When I started this journey, I thought I would take out my red pen and giggle at all those teachers that had marked me wrong in the past. Oh my goodness, wouldn’t that be fun, I thought. 

I’ve written a book, edited a book, and pride myself on proofreading every book that I read. Do you hear all of those unconscious biases? That is my education, and I have been spoilt without even recognising it. 

Now that I have done the training, I am reminded of one of the most intelligent men I know. He’s had an illustrious career but struggles to write well, and I had questioned how he could have done so well. Do you know why? Because his job was global, he speaks five languages, and sometimes they are all in the same sentence. When we remove my bias toward writing well in English — the information was always correct.

We will judge on the criteria, not on the way it is written or presented, as an entrant that is critical information. You have to answer every question on the criteria laid out before you and to the best of your ability.  

Good luck

Congratulations to everyone who makes it this far. I know the judges will already be proud of you because we’ve all been in your shoes before, and most judges are still entering different awards. We know how much bravery it takes to put yourself out there, we know how courageous you have to be to let someone else in on your business secrets and we know how much work goes into these submissions. We also understand how nervous you will be. 

I am thankful for the education thus far and I am now ready to take the judge’s pledge with a better understanding of integrity, impartiality, and inclusiveness — best of luck.