"On Stage" Recognition

Over the past few months I have participated in dozens of conversations where people were expressing their opinion about what kind of recognition is appropriate to show our amazing volunteer leaders. Having spent my whole professional career working with talented volunteers, I know that they are the real heroes in our organization.  While everyone agrees that we need to show love, respect and appreciation for the hard work of our leaders, they do not agree on what form that recognition should take.  Following are a sample of some of the views expressed:

1. Leaders and their spouses should be publically recognized from the stage at the District and International Conventions.
2. There is too much emphasis on recognizing the work of our leaders and not enough on the accomplishments of our members.
3. Recognition is not something that should be anticipated or expected, but should come as a surprise/bonus.
4. Past leaders and their spouses should be recognized each year on the stage at the District and International Conventions.
5. Local club members who attend the convention are "put-off" by the parade of leaders across the stage.
6. How can we expect people to continue to work hard if we can't take enough time out to recognize them?
7. If the club president is such an important position in Kiwanis, why aren't they on the stage being recognized instead of a select group of top leaders?
8. Our International President and our District Governors worked hard to get where they are and deserve to be recognized.
9. Since the majority of the people at our convention are volunteers who work hard for children, why do we single out some for recognition when the room is full of heroes?
10. I sat through all those boring recognition ceremonies while I was waiting for my turn, so now they can be patient while I get the recognition I deserve. 

The only data I could find on this topic comes from the evaluations of the International Convention.  These evaluations rank seventeen different items, with number one being most important.    "On-stage recognition" was ranked seventeenth in 2006, 2005, 2004 and sixteenth in 2003. Evaluations of this years International Convention showed that that 65.2% of the attendees felt that "On-Stage Recognition" should receive either the same, or less emphasis in the future.  Rather than offend anyone by attempting to interpret those results, I will let you draw your own conclusions. 

Your Kiwanis board and staff want to deliver a convention that appeals to members, but also honors our leaders.  We are exploring creative ways to use the video screens for recognition and are open to other ideas that people might have.  This is not an issue of whether our leaders deserve recognition, the question is how to do it in a way that honors them, but also respects the time and hard work of the thousands of other Kiwanis volunteers in the audience.  While you are free to express your opinion in any way you choose, the most helpful for me would be your ideas of creative ways to recognize leaders.  I look forward to your responses.  If you want to do it one-on-one, send an e-mail to robparker@kiwanis.org