Can You Nominate Yourself for an Award? Rules and Etiquette

Yes, in many award programmes you can nominate yourself, and at Glonary® Awards that is simply how participation works. Individual professionals enter their own achievements, and companies, startups and teams take part through an authorised representative. Entries are scored against five published criteria by appointed jury members, with no public voting. If self-nomination feels uncomfortable, the practical fix is to let well-organised evidence carry the argument rather than adjectives.

The short answer: entering your own work is expected

A lot of people assume awards only count if someone else puts your name forward. That idea comes from honours that rely on peer nominations or popularity. Expert-judged programmes tend to work differently: the person closest to the work is usually the one best placed to describe it accurately.

At Glonary® Awards, participation is open internationally to individual professionals at Senior / C-level or above, and to founders, innovators, creators and industry leaders with an implemented project. If you fit that description and your achievement took place within the last five years, you can prepare and submit the entry yourself. The full conditions are set out in the Competition Rules and Eligibility, and the formal terms are in the Official Rules and Regulations. Read both before you start writing.

Individuals, companies, startups and teams: who actually submits

The rules distinguish between two types of entrant:

• Individual professionals enter their own achievements directly. A CISO describing a security programme they led, or a founder describing a business they built, is entering on their own behalf.
• Companies, startups and teams take part through an authorised representative. Someone with authority to speak for the organisation or team prepares and submits the entry.

If you are entering for a team, it is good practice to agree internally who the representative will be before anyone starts drafting. Clarify whose achievement is being described, who has approved the content, and who will receive correspondence. That avoids duplicate submissions and awkward conversations later.

Remember that each nomination is a separate entry with its own entry fee. If you want to enter more than one category, or enter both yourself and your team, each needs its own submission. Fees depend on the programme and stage, so check the relevant category page, where the entry fee and Awards Timeline are published.

Why self-nomination feels awkward

Discomfort with self-nomination is common, and it is worth naming why:

• It can feel like boasting. Many professionals, particularly those taught that good work should speak for itself, find writing about their own success unnatural.
• Fear of being judged as unworthy. Submitting an entry means accepting that experts will assess it.
• Uncertainty about credit. Leaders often worry about claiming results that a whole team delivered.

These concerns are reasonable, but they rest on a misunderstanding of what an entry is. It is not a request for praise. It is a structured case, assessed against stated criteria by people appointed for the purpose. At Glonary® Awards, every entry is scored independently by at least three appointed jury members, and scores of entries that receive no recognition are kept confidential. You are presenting evidence to a panel, not campaigning for votes.

Let evidence do the talking

The most effective way to overcome the awkwardness is to change how you write. Instead of describing yourself, describe the problem, the decisions and the outcomes. Glonary® Awards entries are scored on five equally weighted criteria, each from 0 to 10, and the final score is the average of all valid evaluations. Using them as your structure keeps the writing factual:

1. Originality & Innovation: What did you do differently from the standard approach, and why?
2. Clarity & Strategic Logic: What was the goal, what options did you consider, and how did you choose?
3. Measurable Results & Impact: What changed, and how do you know? Use your own verifiable figures, dates and before-and-after comparisons.
4. Category Alignment: Why does this achievement belong in the category you have chosen?
5. Strategic Depth & Sustainability: Will the results last, and what foundations did you put in place?

Written this way, an entry reads as a report rather than a sales pitch. Phrases like "world-class" or "visionary" add nothing a judge can score. A clear statement of what you did and what resulted is both more modest and more persuasive.

Etiquette for a good self-nomination

Beyond the formal rules, a few habits make self-nominations more credible and less uncomfortable to write:

• Credit others accurately. Say what you personally led and where colleagues contributed. Judges can usually tell when an entry overclaims.
• Get permission for sensitive detail. If you mention clients, internal figures or security incidents, make sure you are allowed to share them.
• Be precise, not modest. Underselling a real result is as unhelpful as exaggerating it. State the facts plainly.
• Choose one strong achievement. A focused entry about one implemented project is easier to assess than a list of everything you have done.
• Tell your team. If the entry concerns shared work, letting colleagues know you are entering is courteous and avoids surprises.

Check eligibility before you write

Self-nomination only works if the entry is eligible. Before drafting, confirm the basics in the Competition Rules and Eligibility:

• The achievement took place within the last five years.
• You meet the seniority or role requirements, or you are entering as an authorised representative.
• For Young Innovators, you are aged 35 or under, and the same project is not also being entered in another category within the same cycle.
• You have chosen the category that best fits the work: Cybersecurity, Women in Business, Influencers and Infobusiness, Technology and Design, Business Leaders or Young Innovators.
• You know the deadline. Each category page shows its Awards Timeline, and all deadlines expire at 23:59 UTC.

Note also that jury members may not enter a cycle they judge. If you have been appointed to the jury, wait for a cycle in which you are not judging.

FAQ

Can a company enter itself for a Glonary® Award?

Yes. Companies, startups and teams take part through an authorised representative, who prepares and submits the entry on the organisation's behalf.

Does public support or voting affect the result?

No. There is no public voting. Every entry is scored independently by at least three appointed jury members against five equally weighted criteria, and the final score is the average of all valid evaluations.

What happens if my self-nominated entry does not reach a recognition level?

Entries scoring below 7.00 receive no recognition, and their scores are confidential. Recognition levels are Gold (9.00–10.00), Silver (8.00–8.99) and Bronze (7.00–7.99).

Ready to enter your own work?

If you have an implemented achievement from the last five years and the evidence to support it, start by choosing your category: Cybersecurity, Women in Business, Influencers and Infobusiness, Technology and Design, Business Leaders or Young Innovators. Each category page lists its Awards Timeline and entry fee. Review the Competition Rules and Eligibility, then write your entry around the five criteria. Questions can go to [email protected].