Seeking Advice: How to Request Top Performer Names for Our New Wall of Fame?

We are introducing a Wall of Fame in our office. Therefore, I need to send an email to managers requesting them to provide me with the names of the top 3-4 performers from their respective teams. Please guide.

Dear Kavita,

You have raised a query on the "Wall of Fame"; however, I hope you are clear about this concept. A wall of fame refers to the display of individuals' achievements to mark their recognition in their chosen field by a group of experts.

A mention on the wall of fame is merited when an individual or a group achieves something that brings glory to the company. It could be the creation of a groundbreaking product or service.

A wall of fame is far more than a routine "Employee of the Year" award. It is also much more than the overachievement of a target. Once a person’s name is listed on the "Wall of Fame," it remains forever, whether the person stays with the company or not.

Around a decade ago, I conducted a training program for a company providing backend services to a bank. Among my participants, there was a team leader who informed me that he and his team were working on a project that was purely their initiative. They were working on something that could have eliminated a certain process, potentially saving their company US$28,000 or more. After doing 9 hours of regular work, they worked an additional hour. Later, I learned that they succeeded in their project and had the privilege of getting their names endorsed on the "Wall of Fame."

When an employee or a group of employees does something outstanding, their work is spoken about anyway. If you are required to send an email to the managers asking them to send the citation, then I doubt whether the achievement really merits a mention on the wall of fame.

Think Opposite

Every coin has two sides, and we need to consider the opposite side as well. If you wish to raise a "Wall of Fame," then it merits raising a "Wall of Shame" as well. On this wall, though the names of the employees are not mentioned, the failures of the company are. Instances that brought disrepute to the company or caused setbacks are mentioned. A newly joined employee is given a choice whether to be a part of the "Wall of Fame" or "Wall of Shame."

You may send an email to the HODs or managers to send the citation for the "Wall of Fame"; nevertheless, have you designed a policy on this subject? Sending the email should be part of the policy. It cannot be done out of a fit of quixotism.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Colleague,

Well said by our colleague:

Wall of Fame

It usually refers to the display of individuals' list of achievements to mark their recognition in their own field, chosen by a group of experts. It will be a good motivational tool, and in the past, we did this in a few of our companies, especially function-wise. This has to be implemented with a deep dive into the pros and cons of the system. If names are simply collected from the managers by sending emails, it might have its own challenges. There may be individual bias, preferences, and so on, like any other system, which will, in the long run, defeat the system and it will not go well.

What is to be done?

1. A good amount of homework by devising a clear policy on the Wall of Fame.
2. Decide the criteria of eligibility to determine names.
3. Identify the critical parameters to become a chooser of names for the Wall of Fame.
4. Consider whether it would be a good idea, instead of going only with managers, to use a 360-degree method of considering feedback and then deciding names.
5. Determine what rewards are added to the names listed on the Wall of Fame.
6. Decide on the type of panel to screen the recommendations and names coming out of 360 degrees (top, bottom, lateral layers).
7. Establish guidelines for the panel members finalizing the names every time.
8. Determine the periodicity.
9. Consider whether it is not good to list the extraordinary contributions or achievements of the members listed.
10. Handle this with care so that other great contributors are not missed out or do not get demotivated, etc.

These are some valid questions to be answered before you move on with the very good idea you are proposing to do. All the best.