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An empty board room and chairs showing the core values and concepts in the background with the Board of Director Responsibilities highlighted.Credit:
          
  faitotoro/Shutterstock, vasabii/Shutterstock
  

A Baldrige Core Values Perspective

The Baldrige Excellence Framework is underpinned by a set of 11 core values and concepts. These core values have guided both the development and the understanding of the Baldrige Criteria for many years. They have served as the basis for defining role-model leadership attributes. These leadership attributes, with a focus on the roles that Boards of Directors play, are also applicable to their performance. The core values are listed below with examples of their meaning for boards.

The values and examples are equally appropriate to public and privately held businesses, nonprofits, and public sector organizations. Depending on a board’s current focus and challenges, different attributes may have greater relative importance at a given time.

Selects and Guides Visionary Leadership
	Ensures a Systems Perspective
	Holds Leaders Accountable for Customer-Focused Excellence
	Values People
	Holds Leaders Accountable for Organizational Learning and Agility
	Focuses on Organizational Success (Sustainability)
	Guides the Organization for Innovation
	Governs by Fact
	Encourages Societal Contributions
	Ensures Ethics and Transparency
	Ensures a Focus on Delivering Value and ResultsSelects and Guides Visionary Leadership

Exemplified by:

Holding the CEO (the designated senior leader) accountable for adherence to the organization’s values and mission
	Reviewing organizational vision, strategies, CEO performance, and systems for achieving ongoing organizational success
	Inspiring and motivating the organization to achieve high performance, with high employee engagement
	Encouraging authenticity, allowing leaders to admit to missteps and encouraging them to report bad newsEnsures a Systems Perspective

Exemplified by:

Holding the CEO accountable for setting a systems perspective across the organization, guiding and assessing the organization holistically
	Requiring a focus on strategic direction and customers to improve overall performance
	Ensuring utilization of the larger ecosystem (partners, suppliers, customers, communities) in which the organization operates to achieve efficiency and innovationHolds Leaders Accountable for Customer-Focused Excellence

Exemplified by:

Holding leaders accountable for a customer-focused culture in the organization, integrating customer engagement and loyalty as a strategic concept
	Requiring leadership attention to changing and emerging customer and market requirements
	Holding leaders accountable for the organization’s development of innovative offerings and customer relationships that serve as a differentiator from competitorsValues People

Exemplified by:

Reviewing organizational culture to ensure a focus on meaningful work, engagement, empowerment, accountability, development, and well-being of workforce members
	Holding leaders accountable for an organizational environment of safety
	Ensuring a culture of inclusivity that capitalizes on the diversity of the workforce and the BoardHolds Leaders Accountable for Organizational Learning and Agility

Exemplified by:

Reviewing organizational capacity for rapid change and for flexibility in operations
	Monitoring the organization’s ability to manage risk and make transformational changes despite ever-shorter cycle times
	Holding leaders accountable for embedding learning and improvement in the way the organization operatesFocuses on Organizational Success (Sustainability)

Exemplified by:

Working with leaders to create a focus on short- and longer-term factors that affect the organization, its reputation, its stakeholders, and its future marketplace success, including needed core competencies and skills
	Accomplishing strategic succession planning for topmost leaders, selecting the CEO, and setting appropriate compensation
	Focusing on the “big picture,” ensuring that organizational planning anticipates future marketplace, economic, and technological influences and disruptionsGuides the Organization for Innovation

Exemplified by:

Holding leaders accountable for an environment where strategic opportunities are identified, and the workforce is supported in taking intelligent risksGoverns by Fact

Exemplified by:

Compelling the organization to measure performance both inside the organization and in its competitive environment
	Ensuring that data and analysis are used in operational and strategic decision making
	Challenging leaders and the organization to extract larger meaning from data and information
	Conducting audits and overseeing financial controlsEncourages Societal Contributions

Exemplified by:

Acting as a governance role model for public and community responsibility
	Holding leaders accountable for organizational actions leading to societal well-being and benefit, thereby contributing to organizational success
	Motivating the organization to excel beyond minimal compliance with laws and regulationsEnsures Ethics and Transparency

Exemplified by:

Demonstrating and requiring highly ethical behavior in all board and organizational activities and interactions
	Governing with transparency through open communication of clear and accurate information
	Holding leaders accountable for open communication of clear and accurate organizational informationEnsures a Focus on Delivering Value and Results

Exemplified by:

Driving the organization to achieve excellent performance results
	Driving the organization’s leaders to exceed stakeholder requirements and achieve value for all stakeholdersMore on Boards of Directors

Good Governance: 10 Baldrige Questions for Your Board of DirectorsWhat Your Board of Directors Needs to Get BetterA School Board Improves Its Focus Using the Baldrige FrameworkHow the Baldrige Foundation’s Chair Has Used the Framework to Support Business Success

Resources

Purchase Baldrige Excellence Framework Business/Nonprofit, Education, Health CareAbout the Baldrige FrameworkBaldrige Excellence BuilderBaldrige Key TermsThe Baldrige Criteria 101 Word

Related Links

How Baldrige WorksBaldrige Products and ServicesBaldrige AwardBaldrige Award Recipient ListingBaldrige FAQs
  Performance excellence, Assessment tools and services, Baldrige award, Baldrige Framework and Criteria and Best practices

    
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Created September 26, 2019, Updated November 15, 2019
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