Space Flight Awareness
Leadership Award
In human spaceflight, leadership to success is the cement that binds program elements together. The SFA Leadership Award recognizes those outstanding leaders who exemplify those characteristics necessary for success.
The award consists of:
- Trophy with flown flag and engraved plaque
- Congratulatory letter from senior management
Award Presentation Process
The presentation process will follow the following guidelines:
- A surprise presentation similar to Silver Snoopy that includes all employees who report to the recipient, all senior people within that chain of command, and the family of the recipient, as appropriate.
- Coordinate the attendance of resident or local NASA representatives or obtain astronaut support.
- The presentation can be adjusted to fit any internal award presentation process, e.g., annual award banquets or all-hands meetings. The highest ranking/most senior attendee presents the trophy and congratulatory letter to the recipient.
Criteria
The SFA National Panel member or a member of his or her staff leads the selection process. The process will be objective, based on the following criteria. The candidate must demonstrate high levels of achievement in the following characteristics:
- Loyalty -- Demonstrate consistency, fairness, trust, and truthfulness in interpersonal relationships.
- Empowerment -- Provide the tools, authority, and trust which allow employees to do their job and fully employ their individual talents, creativity, and initiative.
- Accountability -- Set continuous improvement goals and measure performance against them.
- Diversity -- Recognize, understand, and appreciate that employees from different cultures and experiences view problems and opportunities differently.
- Excellence -- Perform in a superior manner. Continually look for innovative ways to improve operations and produce outstanding results.
- Respect -- Display professional esteem and courtesy to all employees, no matter how difficult the circumstances or what their relative positions are.
- Sharing -- Actively share responsibility, authority, effort, enthusiasm, information, vision, talent, and credit.
- Honesty -- Maintain a fair, straightforward, honorable, and open environment.
- Integrity -- Set the example by always dealing ethically in all business relationships and by maintaining the highest personal standards.
- Proactive -- Always take prompt, decisive action to avoid or resolve problems. Pursue opportunities and actively seek innovative technology and methods to enhance program objectives.
Eligibility and Nomination
To be eligible to receive this award, the candidate must:
- Be functioning in a mid-level management position or higher.
- Be responsible and accountable for the actions of others.
- Be responsible and accountable for the success of tasks and goals.
- Not have previously received this award.
The nomination must:
- Be initiated by any individual intimately familiar with the candidate's leadership skills.
- Be submitted on an approved form with the appropriate information.
- Have concurrence by two levels of management above the candidate.
- Be approved by the SFA National Panel member and that Panel member's selection committee.