“Organization is a process, not a structure. Simultaneously, the process of organizing involves developing relationships from a shared sense of purpose, exchanging and creating….
information, learning constantly, pay attention to the results of our efforts, co-adapting, co-evolving, developing wisdom as we learn, staying clear about our purpose, being alert to changes from all directions.”
Margaret J. Wheatley
[image 1]This quote by Margaret Wheatley states what I believe we are trying to do as a community college whose purpose is to create excellence in learning and service to our students and our community.
Since concluding our Baldrige site visit this week I have been reflecting on both the visit and the journey that has brought us to the completion of this second Baldrige visit. Completing a Baldrige application is in itself a rigorous and daunting endeavor, but it is not our 2012 application that brought us this visit. The visit represents a milestone in the 14-year journey we have taken and the journey we will continue to fulfill our mission and vision and achieve performance excellence in student learning and service.
So what has using the Baldrige criteria brought us? As I look back, I believe it has provided us a framework for
- Rigorously assessing ourselves on our performance
- Building on our strengths
- Identifying and addressing our key gaps and opportunities for improvement
- Maintaining a disciplined approach to planning and assessing our progress
- Learning and growing and helping to lead our college and our district
- Maintaining the discipline required to achieve greatness in student learning and service.
Receiving a Baldrige visit is a significant achievement, and, of course, if at some point we were to receive the Baldrige award, it would be an honor, but the journey is really not about getting an award. It is about constantly striving to improve our performance as a community college – and to help all the Alamo Colleges get better.
The last two years have been challenging, with new systems, changes in our District structures, new state and federal requirements and economic downturns. Our ability to serve students has been temporarily hampered, but I know we will overcome the challenges because we have that can-do spirit. I saw it during the Baldrige visit. I see it every day.
Some Baldrige Visit Notes and Thanks
[image 2]Our second Baldrige visit was, based on my observations and participation, more rigorous and more in depth than the first. The questions were harder, but we rose to the occasion and performed well.
For those of you who did not get to attend the closing session on Oct. 10, I thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of the photos we used. Most of you will recognize Julie Pace – who gave tireless leadership before – and during – the visit and never lost her sense of humor.
And there were others who spent countless hours on preparation. Two folks who come to mind are Virginia Leggett and Eliza Hernandez.
[image 3]You probably recognize Lydia Beaver as she tried to manage the plethora of scheduling updates. Fortunately, she still has her hair and her sanity as do other folks, such as Sabrina Carey, who provided logistical services during the visit.
There are so many of you who contributed your time and expertise:
- Those who participated in group interviews
- Those who chatted individually with Baldrige examiners
- Those who helped behind the scenes
- And all of you who helped to bring us to this visit with your attention to quality.
Many, many thanks. You rock!!
So what’s next?
The Baldrige judges meet Nov. 5-9 and recommendations are provided to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. A new feature for 2012, is a category best practice, in which an organization can be recognized for excellence in a particular category. The recipients of the Baldrige award will be announced in mid-November and we will receive our feedback report in December. Meanwhile, we have plenty of work to do – after a restful weekend.