On the awards day
Your guide to the The Legacy of Leadership Award awards day: from the moment you arrive to the last toast, and the follow-ups that make it count.
You have already won.
Many people walk into an awards day as anxious hopefuls waiting for a verdict. They sit politely, watch the envelope, and if their name is not called, they quietly slip away feeling empty handed.
That leaves so much on the table.
An awards day is not an audition. It is one of the few evenings in the year when hundreds of senior leaders, buyers, investors and respected peers are in one room, in a celebratory mood, with no gatekeepers and every door open.
Being a nominee means your work was put forward as among the best in your field. You belong here. Walk in with presence, curiosity and a plan, and you can leave with partnerships, invitations and real growth, whatever is in the envelope.
From the red carpet to the last toast
Each phase: how it should feel, what it means, why it works, and exactly what to do.
- Phase 1Arrive and own the red carpetThe first 30 minutes
- Phase 2Work the drinks receptionThe reception
- Phase 3Make friends at your tableDinner
- Phase 4The envelope momentThe ceremony
- Phase 5The after-party: book the follow-upsAfter the ceremony
- Phase1
Arrive and own the red carpet
The first 30 minutes
Quiet, unapologetic confidence. Stepping onto that carpet is your arrival. Leave any self-doubt in the cloakroom: you earned your place here.
Get your best photographs early, before the room fills and the day gets long. They will work for you for months.
What it is
Professional portraits at the media wall, in front of the awards backdrop and your category sponsor's banner.
Why it helps
Visual proof that you and your organisation stand among the best in your field.
What it means for you
Images that lift your proposals, your sales decks and your profiles, and support the prices you charge, all year.
Your checklist
- 1Arrive 20 minutes early, while the light is good and there is no queue at the media wall.
- 2Get the three photographs that matter: a confident portrait of you; your team together, celebrating; and you with your category sponsor's logo clearly in the background.
- 3Ask one colleague to capture natural photos and a few short vertical video clips on their phone, ready to share that night.
- Phase2
Work the drinks reception
The reception
Warmth and generosity. You are not waiting to be spoken to. You are a host among peers.
Use the drinks reception with purpose, and talk to the four groups of people who shape budgets, stages and partnerships.
What it is
A short, humble 20 second introduction, followed by real curiosity and good listening.
Why it helps
No pushy selling, yet people quickly see you as someone who really knows their field.
What it means for you
Conversations with leaders that would otherwise take months of emails and gatekeepers to reach.
The four groups to meet
The organisers
The people who build the stage
Where their head is: Busy, juggling a hundred details, and hoping the day runs smoothly for everyone.
Your approach: Make their day easier. Thank them, and celebrate what they have built.
What to say
“I know you have a thousand things on tonight, so I will take thirty seconds: thank you for creating such an exceptional evening. The people in this room say a lot about what you have built with the The Legacy of Leadership Award. When things are calmer next week, I would love to share a couple of thoughts on how our category experienced it.”
What it leads to: You come to mind when they need speakers, panel hosts and advisers for future years.
The judges
The respected voices of your industry
Where their head is: They have read entries for hours, and are curious whether the people match what they read.
Your approach: Never lobby, and never ask about a decision. Ask about the bigger picture they saw.
What to say
“Good day, [name]. Thank you for giving your time to our category this year. Looking across all the entries, what set the good ones apart from the truly outstanding?”
What it leads to: Mentoring, board level insight and connections that last well beyond the night.
Your category sponsor
The leaders who backed your category
Where their head is: They invested in your category to show leadership in the market, and to meet the best people in it.
Your approach: Treat them as a patron of your industry, and connect your work to what they care about.
What to say
“I wanted to introduce myself: we are nominated in the category you are supporting tonight. Backing it shows a real commitment to [your field]. We are seeing strong demand in this space, and I would value hearing where you think it is heading over the next year.”
What it leads to: Warm introductions, pilot projects and supplier conversations with organisations that already value your field.
Your fellow nominees
Your future allies
Where their head is: Often a little guarded at first, but longing for peers who understand the work.
Your approach: Be an ally, not a rival. Praise something specific they have achieved.
What to say
“Congratulations on being nominated alongside us tonight. I have been following what your team achieved with [their project or achievement], and it set a real benchmark. We are both solving hard problems in this market. We should know each other.”
What it leads to: Referrals in both directions, trusted partners, and joint work neither of you could win alone.
- Phase3
Make friends at your table
Dinner
Empathy and curiosity. Sharing a meal builds trust. You are not pitching; you are discovering the person behind the business.
Turn the people at your table into friends and champions by asking good questions and really listening.
What it is
Thoughtful, conversational questions over a relaxed dinner.
Why it helps
People drop their guard and talk openly about what is really holding them back.
What it means for you
You hear the real challenges that a formal sales meeting would never surface.
Your checklist
- 1Learn everyone's name, role and passion before the first course is cleared.
- 2Ask questions people enjoy answering: "What was the hardest thing your team had to overcome to get here?" and "Looking at the next year or so, what could slow your growth the most?"
- 3In a quiet moment, make a short note on your phone of the challenges people mention.
- Phase4
The envelope moment
The ceremony
Poise and generosity. The room watches faces when the envelope opens. Character shows in this exact moment.
Whether your name is called or someone else's, show the room what real leadership looks like.
What it is
Visible grace, composure and warm support for everyone in your category.
Why it helps
Every leader in the room sees maturity, generosity and resilience.
What it means for you
Your reputation grows either way, and people want to work with you.
If your name is called
- 1Take a breath, stand tall with a grounded smile, and hug or high-five your team before you walk calmly to the stage.
- 2Thank the organisers and your category sponsor for raising the standard in your industry.
- 3Honour your team: the people who did the unglamorous, late-night work that made this possible.
- 4Salute the other nominees: "To our fellow nominees, your work pushed us to be better. We are honoured to share this category with you."
- 5End with one sentence about the problem you are still determined to solve.
- 6For the photograph, hold the award at chest height, look into the camera with your sponsor, smile, and step off the stage calmly.
If another name is called
- 1Be the first at your table to applaud, warmly and sincerely, with your posture tall and open.
- 2Mind your body language: no frowns, no sighs, no phone. Leaders and judges notice who carries themselves well in this moment.
- 3Remind yourself: the trophy is one prize, and the bigger one is the room full of decision makers around you. Plan to congratulate the winner in person later.
- Phase5
The after-party: book the follow-ups
After the ceremony
Warmth and momentum. The formal part is over, the music is playing, and the best conversations begin.
Congratulate the winners, find the people you met earlier, and agree a time to talk before everyone goes home.
What it is
A warm congratulation, and a short, easy agreement to speak next week.
Why it helps
You leave a lasting impression of generosity while others are already heading home.
What it means for you
The excitement of the day becomes real meetings in your diary, instead of fading by morning.
Never say “we should grab a coffee sometime”
Vague plans disappear in the next morning's inbox. Tie the follow-up to something specific and useful, and agree a time there and then.
1. Remember their challenge
“Bring up something specific they told you over drinks or dinner: a system that does not talk to another, a process that will not scale, a team stretched too thin.”
2. Offer something useful
“We ran into that exact problem a few months ago, and we found a simple way round it that made a real difference.”
3. Agree a time, lightly
“I do not want to talk shop while the music is playing. Are you around next Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon? Let us have a quick 15 minute call, and I will walk you through exactly what we did.”
4. Connect there and then
“Scan this so we are connected. Send me your email in a message and I will send that over on Monday morning.”
Grow with your fellow nominees
Your fellow nominees are not your competition. They have clients who need what you do, and you have clients who need what they do. Here is how one handshake becomes a year of shared growth.
Step 1 | Within a week
Give before you ask
- Hold the short call you agreed on the day, and share the idea, case study or lesson you promised.
- Do not pitch. Ask one question: "What is the biggest piece of work you had to turn down this year because your team did not have a particular skill?"
Step 2 | Month 2
Find where you fit together
- Look for where your businesses complete each other rather than compete: if you are strong on the technical side and they are strong on design, brand or strategy, you are each other's missing piece.
- If you work in different areas or on different sizes of project, agree where each other's overflow can go.
Step 3 | Month 3
Pass work both ways
- Agree how you will refer clients to each other, and on what terms, so both businesses grow without the cost of finding new clients.
What to say
“Our clients often ask us for [their speciality], but we keep our focus on what we do best. Rather than leave them to find someone they do not know, we would like to recommend your team as our trusted partner. If we do this both ways, good work stays between people we trust.”
Step 4 | Month 6
Bid together for bigger work
- Team up with one or two fellow nominees who do not compete with you, and bid together for larger contracts neither of you could win alone.
- Offer the whole job end to end: the strategy, the delivery and the support.
- Buyers like a small, expert alliance: specialist skill and owner-level care, without the overheads of a large firm.
What to say
“An alliance of The Legacy of Leadership Award nominees, bringing together expert strategy and proven delivery.”
Your follow-up email
Send it while the glow of the day is still fresh. Fill in the bits in square brackets.
Copy this email
Subject: Great to meet you at the The Legacy of Leadership Award Hi [first name], It was a pleasure talking with you at the The Legacy of Leadership Award on [the day]. It was refreshing to meet someone tackling [the challenge you discussed] with such a practical approach. As promised, here are a few thoughts on how our team got past that same problem: [three short points, or a one page attachment]. As we said on the day, shall we take 15 minutes on [Tuesday at 2pm] or [Wednesday at 10.30am] to talk about how our teams might work together? Does Tuesday suit you? Best wishes, [your name] [your title], [your company]
Your awards day checklist
Where to focus, how to feel, and what to leave with, at every stage of the evening.
Red carpet and media wall
Your mindset
Poised, grounded, confident
You leave with
Three professional photographs to use all year
Meeting the four groups
Your mindset
Curious, generous, approachable
You leave with
Real conversations with organisers, judges, sponsors and fellow nominees
Your table
Your mindset
A good host and a better listener
You leave with
Notes on the real challenges of at least two people
The envelope moment
Your mindset
Gracious, supportive, composed
You leave with
A heartfelt speech, or quiet, dignified leadership
The after-party
Your mindset
Connector and friend
You leave with
Three calls booked for the following week
Walk in as a nominee. Walk out as a name to know.
The day is one chapter. Get ready for it with the five plays, and keep the momentum going for a whole year with your twelve month guide.