My team has been nominated for an innovation award, and I can only take 5 people with me. The issue is that there were 10 people involved, and I'm unsure how I should describe the problem to my team so that none of them get offended or feel under-valued if they aren't invited.
Note: The venue is small, and all teams are limited to bring 6 people only.
First of all, objectively present the situation to your team:
Guys, we have been nominated for an innovation award, however only 6 of us, myself included, can attend this event.
Next, tell them when and where the event is taking place, and ask who is interested in attending:
The event is taking place at Restaurant X, on October Y, at Z PM. Who is interested in going?
Finally, if more people want to go than there are tickets, hold a lottery draw.
Here comes the important bit, however: treat the "losers" to some sort of special treat. Maybe lunch out on the day where the rest of you guys are attending the event. Or maybe organize a really nice team event for everyone to attend (however, you should still make sure that the people being left behind get a little something extra).
There's nothing worse than hearing the people who went talking about how great the food/drinks/atmosphere were, when you yourself were excluded. However, give the team their own bonding event to talk about, and that animosity will not build up.
I am tempted to treat this event as a sales call and bring the five most articulate individuals on the team. After all, the product is the star and someone has to showcase and advocate for the product.
I'd say, let the product and the event define who is going to be on the team. For example, if it is important that the technical features of the product be thoroughly understood, you might want the strongest technical person on the team to come. I'd say that that there are some very strong technical contributors who are simply not verbal enough to push the product and do not have the temperament to push the product. You might decide that you need to round up a natural born shmoozer to balance your team - and if your team does not have one, you might have to beg, borrow or steal one from another team :)
Look at the event as a work session not as a reward for a job well done i.e. nobody is going there for a good time having had by all. Like it or not, the 5 people on your team represent the company and I think your company wants the best possible representation. Keep in mind that the 5 people in your team will define the product and the company in the eyes of others. In that context, you might want to make sure that the team puts its best foot forward.
A competitive product award event is no place to let your guard down, even if the venue is Hawaii.
If it's an external event (thanks, sleske for your comment!), assume that there will be product reviewers from the press and others in attendance and assume that the product is going to get written up. I'd say, even if the product is not getting an award, the fact that the product gets written up in the press counts for a lot. If the product wins in some fashion at a competitive review staged at the event, that makes your team trip worthwhile and your sales and marketing people will be ecstatic.
If it's an internal event, assume that senior management will be in attendance and presumably, senior management is a tougher constituency than most external constituencies including the customers. In addition, senior management has the power to route resources your way for whatever purposes that serve you including scaling the product. If you can convince them. There may be internal press in attendance, which you can treat as a practice run when you run into the external press.
No rest for the wicked :)
