State Quality Awards- Give it a Try!
Recently I had an opportunity to complete the Iowa Recognition for Performance Excellence award application (the State of Iowa version of the Baldrige Award). Although it is an intense process, there is much benefit to working through the 7 Baldrige categories to thoughtfully describing processes and results within your own organization.
What can be an even greater learning experience, is becoming an examiner for the quality award in your State. I've had the opportunity to both write applications and become an examiner for State quality award programs in two different states. Being involved in a State quality award program not only provides a deeper understanding of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, but strengthens your understanding of your own organization (its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).
Many organizations utilize the State quality award program in their state as they begin their continuous improvement journey. Over time, some organizations apply for the National Quality Award Program. I encourage you to see if your state has a quality award program that your organization could become involved with (either as an application and/or as an examiner).
How do you "sharpen your saw" for quality and continuous improvement? Does your state have a quality award program? How do you use the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence to drive improvements in your organization?
Comments
Jay, The writing of a state process application is much like developing the vision or mission of the organization. It is the development/thinking process that you go through that creates the learning. The outcome (application) is a secondary account of the thinking.
The opportunity to participate in the state process is a win/win situation. Examiners have an opportunity to learn the most advanced assessment framework for performance excellence, and the state process wins through the relationship and the knowledge-building created by the experience. Of course the applicant wins from the quality feedback and the ability to have six to seven sets of eyes reviewing their organization. I guess it is win/win/win now that I think abut it.
Posted by: Gary Nesteby | August 9, 2006 11:56 AM
Gary,
Thanks for you comments. I believe many others share your views on the State quality awards.
Jay
Posted by: Jay | August 11, 2006 12:49 AM
Jay, I've been researching the progress of the state quality awards recently and it's exciting to see that the process is still going strong in most states; but dissappointed that Pennsylvania still hasn't rallied support from the governor's office. Your comments have tempted me to contact the governor's office to find out if there's a chance to upstart the PQLA again. We are all older and wiser ten years later.
It was refreshing to read your article.
Beverly Centini (former Award Administrator and Executive Director - PQLF)
Posted by: Beverly Centini | October 19, 2006 10:39 AM
Beverly,
Thanks for sharing your comments. We've been fortunate in the State of Iowa to utilize the exemplary services of the Iowa Quality Center (http://www.iowaqc.org/). We are in our second year of pursuing the Iowa Quality Award as an organization and benefit greatly from the feedback we receive.
I would encourage you to keep pressuring the state of Pennsylvania to formalize its quality award process. Best of luck!
Jay
Posted by: Jay Marino | October 19, 2006 11:18 AM
The state program was a GREAT launching place for our organization. We would like to send an invitation to mutually share best practices to all existing state quality programs. Is there a multilist of email addresses for state performance excellence programs? Thank you
Posted by: Jan | May 1, 2007 09:46 AM
Jan,
I would suggest that you contact the National Baldrige Office and they may be able to assist.
I did come across this information- http://www.quality.nist.gov/State_Local.htm which includes contact information to learn more about State program.
Thanks for your comments.
Jay
Posted by: J. Jay Marino | May 2, 2007 10:31 AM