U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (  A locked padlock
) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/sustainability-synonymous-change
  Search NIST
    Search
              Menu

      


Close
    Topics
        All Topics
                                                        Advanced communications
                                                        Artificial intelligence
                                                        Bioscience
                                                        Buildings and construction
                                                        Chemistry
                                                        Climate
                                                        Cybersecurity
                                                        Electronics
                                                        EnergyEnvironment
                                                        Fire
                                                        Forensic science
                                                        Health
                                                        Information technology
                                                        Infrastructure
                                                        Manufacturing
                                                        Materials
                                                        Mathematics and statisticsMetrology
                                                        Nanotechnology
                                                        Neutron research
                                                        Performance excellence
                                                        Physics
                                                        Public safety
                                                        Resilience
                                                        Standards
                                                        Transportation
            Publications
            Labs & Major Programs
        Laboratories
                                Communications Technology Laboratory
                                  Engineering Laboratory
                                  Information Technology Laboratory
                                  Material Measurement Laboratory
                                  Physical Measurement LaboratoryUser Facilities
                                NIST Center for Neutron Research
                                  CNST NanoFab
                                                        Research Test Beds
                                                        Research Projects
                                                        Tools & InstrumentsMajor Programs
                                Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
                                  CHIPS for America Initiative
                                  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
                                  Office of Advanced Manufacturing
                                  Special Programs Office
                                  Technology Partnerships Office
            Services & Resources
        Standards and Measurements
                                Calibration Services
                                  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP)
                                  Quality System
                                  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)
                                  Standards.gov
                                  Time Services
                                  Office of Weights and MeasuresSoftware
                                                        Data
                                Chemistry WebBook
                                  National Vulnerability Database
                                  Physical Reference Data
                                  Standard Reference Data (SRD)
                                                        Storefront
                                                        License & PatentsComputer Security Resource Center (CSRC)
                                                        NIST Research Library
            News & Events
        News
                                                        Events
                                                        Blogs
                                                        Feature Stories
                                                        AwardsVideo Gallery
                                                        Image Gallery
                                                        Media Contacts
            About NIST
        About Us
                                Leadership
                                  Organization Structure
                                  Budget & Planning
                                                        Contact Us
                                                        Visit
                                                        Careers
                                Student programsWork with NIST
                                                        History
                                NIST Digital Archives
                                  NIST Museum
                                  NIST and the Nobel
                                                        Educational Resources
 
 Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
    
      
  How Baldrige Works
                            Expand or Collapse
          About Baldrige
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Baldrige Impacts
                                  History
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Malcolm Baldrige Biography
                                              How the Baldrige Program Began
                                  Baldrige Process Integrity
                                  Baldrige FAQs
                      Baldrige Director
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Organization Chart
                      Baldrige Community
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Examiners
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Examiner Resources
                                  Board of Overseers
                                  Judges Panel
                                  Executive Fellows
                                  Baldrige Foundation
                                  State & Local Baldrige-Based Programs
                                  Baldrige Ambassadors
                                  Communities of Excellence 2026
                                  International Award Programs
                      News/Media Room
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Researchers
          Self-Assessing
                            Expand or Collapse
          Getting Started
                      Baldrige Key Terms
                      Improvement Tools
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Job Quality Toolkit
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Recruitment & Hiring
                                              Benefits
                                              Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility
                                              Empowerment & Representation
                                              Job Security & Working Conditions
                                              Organizational Culture
                                              Pay
                                              Skills & Career Advancement
                                              Job Quality Baldrige Style
                                  Foundations for a Successful Business
                                  Are We Making Progress?
                                  Are We Making Progress as Leaders?
                                  easyInsight: Take a First Step Toward a Baldrige Self-Assessment
                                  Are You a Role-Model Leader?
                                  Integrating Baldrige with Other Tools
                      Baldrige by Sector
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Manufacturing
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Are You Ready to Address Your Business Challenges and Get National Recognition?
                                  Service
                                  Small Business
                                  Education
                                  Health Care
                                  Nonprofit/Government
          Products & Services
                            Expand or Collapse
          Baldrige Cybersecurity Initiative
                      Baldrige Excellence Framework
                      Baldrige Excellence Builder
                      Baldrige Executive Fellows Program
                      Baldrige Connect
                      Become a Baldrige Examiner
                      Baldrige Examiner Training Experience
                      Shop Baldrige Gear
          Publications
                            Expand or Collapse
          Baldrige Excellence Framework
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Business/Nonprofit
                                  Education
                                  Health Care
                                  Baldrige Excellence Framework Graphics
                      Baldrige Case Study
                      Blogrige
                      Insights on the Road to Performance Excellence
          Conferences
                            Expand or Collapse
          Quest for Excellence Conference
                      Baldrige Fall Conference
                      Baldrige Exhibit Schedule
          Award Recipients
                            Expand or Collapse
          Current Baldrige Recipients
                      Name & Trademark Guidelines
          Baldrige Award
                            Expand or Collapse
          Award Criteria
                      How to Apply
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Application Format
                      Award Cycle Overview
                      Is Your Organization Eligible?
                      Award Process Fees



  Connect with us
      
      TwitterGovDeliveryYoutubeSustainability Is Synonymous with Change

Share
  Facebook
                      Linkedin
                      Twitter
                      Email

Dr. Harry Hertz Photo and the Insights on the Road to Performance Excellence LogoDr. Harry Hertz, Director EmeritusBaldrige Performance Excellence Program
  
      April 2010Welcome to the new Baldrige Performance Excellence Program Web site and to my first *Insights on the Road to Performance Excellence* column, which will be a monthly feature. Early in my career with the Baldrige Program (starting in 1991), it became clear to me that businesses receiving the Baldrige Award were characterized by several commonalities. One was that they never stood still. An indication of that characteristic was their extreme dedication to organizational and personal learning and innovation. And over the years since 1991, as we all know, the pace of change has accelerated. Likewise, the Baldrige Criteria changes have accelerated to meet the needs of representing the leading edge of validated management practice. Today, we take another major step forward in the Baldrige Program's use of 21st century technologies with our new, more interactive Web site. It follows other recent improvements in ways for you to interact with us: Blogrige, the Baldrige blog; twitter streams from the Baldrige Program; several Baldrige discussion groups on LinkedIn; and Baldrige videos on YouTube. Look for further enhancements in coming months. While Web 2.0 is a significant improvement, it is not a sufficient change to meet the current challenges we all face. I recently took the world's quickest course in change management. I have taken others, but never a course this short (just two pages)! Here are the six steps: a stakeholder analysis, an involvement plan, a metrics plan, a training plan, a culture change plan, and a communications plan. How do you stack up against these six steps? I can report that the Baldrige Program is making strides in many of these areas with our current strategic plan. We have not yet reached excellence, but we sure hope we are somewhere on the road toward it. Here are some of the actions we currently are taking to address a focus on our customers and stakeholders. We are exploring several strategic collaborations with organizations in the health care, education, and small business sectors. We are writing a book, tentatively titled *Baldrige 20/20, An Executive's Guide to Baldrige* (look for it later this year). We are establishing a Baldrige Fellows Program for rising senior executives. We are working with four state programs to develop training curricula for education institutions and manufacturers. And we have just completed Lean training for our staff and are using value stream mapping to analyze a number of our key processes, with an eye toward both simplifying the processes and improving the work environment for our workforce (staff and volunteers).To close out my first column, let me share with you three changes I think your organizations should consider—changes we anticipate addressing in the *2011–2012 Criteria for Performance Excellence*. Please feel free to comment on these change areas and others you think might be important. Also, you might want to get a jump start by thinking about your own efforts in these areas. First, expect to see greater expectations for entrepreneurship in all organizational settings. Second, expect a stronger focus on customer listening, including using information that is "free" on the Web. (What are your customers tweeting about you?) Look for enhanced opportunities to interpret what your customers are saying as sources of innovation for your organization. Also, consider how you use all this information in your marketing plans. And third, look for tighter ties in the Results Category between process and product/service outcomes and between workforce- and customer-focused outcomes. Once again, welcome, and please join me as we share insights on the long and winding road (agility dictates curves!) to performance excellence. Oh, and while you're at it, gain some added insights at Quest for Excellence XXII on April 12–14, 2010. If you can't make it in person to Quest, check out our Virtual Quest options.ResourcesBaldrige Excellence FrameworkBaldrige Excellence BuilderBlogrigeNewsArchived ColumnsYou need to have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view the PDF file. If you do not have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, download the program at http://get.adobe.com/reader. People with visual disabilities can download tools and information at http://www.adobe.com/accessibility to help make Adobe PDF files accessible.
  Performance excellence, Baldrige award, Baldrige examiners and Baldrige Framework and Criteria

    
    Contacts
      
        

Baldrige Customer Service
  baldrige@nist.gov
  (301) 975-2036
  NIST/BPEP 
  100 Bureau Drive, M/S 1020 
  Gaithersburg,
  MD 20899-1020

Created April 1, 2010, Updated November 15, 2019
 HEADQUARTERS
            100 Bureau Drive
              Gaithersburg, MD 20899301-975-2000
            Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices
        Twitter
            
Facebook
            
LinkedIn
            
Instagram
            
YouTube
            
Giphy
            
RSS Feed
            
Mailing List
                              How are we doing? Feedback

  
  Site Privacy
                      Accessibility
                      Privacy Program
                      Copyrights
                      Vulnerability Disclosure
                      No Fear Act Policy
                      FOIA
                      Environmental Policy
                      Scientific Integrity
                      Information Quality Standards
                      Commerce.gov
                      Science.gov
                      USA.gov
                      Vote.gov