You either win, or you learn.

As the dust settled at the end of the European Football Championship Final on Sunday between England and Italy, the thought that popped into my head was the same one that I say day in, day out to business awards contenders…

You either win, or you learn.?

That was shortly followed by thoughts like “Those poor boys” and “So much pressure” - wishing I could give them a hug as my heart swelled with pride and I felt their pain.

Now I’m no great football fan, but like everyone, I love to support our country and our boys on their big day. And I’m used to supporting people through life-changing competitions, so my TV-chat was centred on helping them stay calm, focus on the task at hand, and showing everyone their true potential.??

Sadly, the result wasn’t what the vast majority of us wanted, but we certainly learnt a lot and left with sights set on the next big challenge.?

Inspired by the late, great Nelson Mandela, 'you either win, or you learn' is a phrase I have often come to say to awards contenders vying to take away the trophy that will show the world what THEY are made of.?

And, whilst coaching hundreds of people through awards judging events, and seeing what works and what doesn’t, I have also discovered a few things that could help you to hit the back of the net in your next competition.

So, when you’re preparing for your big moment in the spotlight, remember the 6 Ps that make up a winning awards presentation performance:

PAIN is the thing that connects us as humans and makes our story engaging, real, and memorable. The more emotive your story, the more engagement you will get from the judges as they connect, understand, and feel the pain you have overcome, and the pain you are healing for customers, colleagues or the community.?

PURPOSE is your ultimate goal, and gives the judges the bigger picture about your vision and mission and values. Also known as your ‘Why’, this is the unique reason you do what you do, and it’s bigger than just you, your company, or your profits. When you achieve it, it’s your legacy.

PASSION is going to drive your story home to the judges and demonstrate what makes you unique. Don’t be afraid to share your passion for your projects and goals - in fact in many awards pitches I’ve seen the front-runners pipped to the post for the win all because of the passion of the presenter. Don’t hold back!

PROOF is the science bit that you need to substantiate your story and back up all the other Ps. This can be made up of your growth results, performance improvements, cost savings, time reductions, customer reactions, colleague responses, and so much more. Make it visual, use video, media, and images, just make sure you can prove what you say!

PEOPLE are the power behind all of your results. Whether they are your team, your customers, your partners, or even your professional or personal community, somewhere along the line you are having an impact on people, and they are having an impact on you. Think about the impact you can prove, then collate and share data from everyone you can.

POTENTIAL is what you can do next, especially when an award win raises your profile and allows you to become the spotlight for your people, projects and purpose. This is the impact you intend to make, and how you’re going to get there. Who will win when you win?

It might be a tough competition, but don’t be afraid to play the game. Just like the England football team, your time will soon come. Remember, you will either win, or you’ll learn. You will never, ever lose.?