The following tips have been compiled from interviews with representatives of Baldrige Award-winning organizations during the 2014 Quest for Excellence conference.

How to get started using the Baldrige framework

Communicate. Make sure you have the support of senior leadership and employees. Instigating organizational change is not a one-person challenge; the only way to truly sustain change and excellence is if everyone is on the same page.

Share. The Baldrige community is generous and open; take advantage of conferences and best-practice sessions. If you’re struggling with a specific problem, it’s likely that others have been down the same path. There’s no sense in reinventing the wheel when so many leaders and organizations are eager to share their stories with you.

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