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/distinguishing-role-model-really-good
  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
      
      TwitterGovDeliveryYoutubeDistinguishing "Role Model" from "Really Good"

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
  
      November/December 2011We recently completed the 2011 Baldrige Award cycle and named our 2011 award winners. This year, four wonderful and very different organizations are serving as role models of organizational excellence. Three of the four award recipients are from the health care sector, but they are very dissimilar organizations: a small community hospital, a major urban health system, and a health care organization established expressly to improve the health and social conditions of Alaska Native and American Indian people. Our fourth 2011 award recipient is a 140-year-old nonprofit that delivers products and services akin to the way any modern manufacturing business does.As I listened to the deliberations during the Baldrige Judges' meeting in November, it struck me that our soon-to-be-named Baldrige Award winners shared several characteristics that separated them from the other organizations that received site visits this year. Now, before anyone jumps to the conclusion that these are the sole distinguishing characteristics of Baldrige Award recipients, let me assure you there is no single magic formula to success, not all recipients had all these characteristics, and not all of the other applicants discussed at the meeting lacked these characteristics. Still, on the whole, the following six characteristics represent some of what differentiates "role model" from "really good."These six characteristics were evident on a continuing basis among our new role models and were not as prevalent among our other site-visited applicants:**Evidence-Based Management.** These organizations use results and data to drive process and organizational improvement. They choose the correct data and perform analyses. They routinely demonstrate intelligent and ongoing use of organizational reviews to drive overall improvement. Organizational learning has become part of the standard operating procedure for these organizations, and processes are in place to enable the learning. If I had to choose one characteristic of role models that truly distinguishes their performance, this would be it. As an aside, an interesting commentary on evidence-based management recently appeared in the *New York Times* and is worth a quick read.**Achievement in Results.** These organizations achieved significant results across all areas: product (e.g., health care outcomes) and process, customers, workforce, leadership and governance, and financials and marketplace. Results were trended over time, and comparisons were made to benchmarks (top performance levels). Furthermore, results measured were critical to managing the organization and to making fact-based decisions and improvements.**Entrepreneurism and Innovation.** These organizations use innovative approaches to serve their customers' current needs and guide them with enticing products and services that address their not-yet-articulated needs. They provide products, services, and opportunities that lead their marketplace. They take intelligent risks to sustain themselves through challenging times and environments and achieve market leadership positions. They do not rely on past achievements or reputation. They are the organizations that ask "Why not?" rather than "Why?"**Agility.** These organizations are strategic in their decision making and in their ability to adjust strategy. When conditions change or are anticipated to change, they are ready to adapt, look for new markets, and adjust to sustain themselves and their stakeholders. Strategic plans do not sit on their shelves gathering dust, and these plans are developed with processes that cause and monitor execution. These organization track the execution of their plans with metrics, and the ability to make change is part of the execution process.**Governance and Leadership Metrics.** These organizations have leadership and governance systems in place that provide them with sound guidance. They measure the performance of their leadership and governance teams—which is not common practice. They are good citizens of their communities and measure their social responsibility results. They understand the needs of their communities and provide resources of all types.**Work Systems and Work Processes.** This is probably the most challenging concept to master. These organizations understand their work. They know their core competencies. They make intelligent decisions on their staff-performed work processes, capitalize on their core competencies to decide on those processes, and execute those processes well (with data to prove it). They know when to rely on suppliers and partners. They use these critical decisions to succeed in the marketplace, even when competitors do not.If you are interested in seeing the evidence of these achievements among our 2011 Baldrige Award winners, attend the upcoming Quest for Excellence® conference and listen to the presentations by representatives of these organizations. Or learn a little more about each of them from their Baldrige profiles online: Concordia Publishing House, Henry Ford Health System, Schneck Medical Center, and Southcentral Foundation. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and these organizations' practices are shared through the Baldrige Program in order to encourage imitation by your organization, with adaptation to your environment.As 2011 comes to a close, I want to wish all readers of this *Insights* column happy holidays. I look forward to writing to you and hearing from you in the coming year!ResourcesBaldrige Excellence FrameworkBaldrige Excellence BuilderBlogrigeNewsHas Social Media Changed Your Organization? (January 2011)Is Your Organization Strategic When Considering Supplier Relationships? (February 2011)Leadership Yin-Yang on the Road to Performance Excellence (March 2011)Your Quest for Performance Excellence (April 2011)What is Meaningful Use? (May 2011)The Future of Organizational Quality (June/July 2011)The Results Are In . . . What Leaders and Employees Believe (August 2011)Strategy Integration: the Nerd (Scientist), the Car Guy (Design Engineer), and the Bean Counter (Accountant) (September 2011)Embrace Complexity, Please! (October 2011)Archived 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://access.adobe.com to help make Adobe PDF files accessible.
  Performance excellence, Baldrige award, Baldrige Framework and Criteria and Leadership development

    
    Contacts
      
        

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

Created January 31, 2012, 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