Three IE faculty help state's businesses attain excellence

Through their courses and research in the College of Engineering, professors Harold Steudel, François Sainfort and Donald Ermer significantly affect how organizations strive for and achieve quality and performance excellence. Off the clock, however, they're also helping make the state's businesses better. As volunteer senior examiners for the Wisconsin Forward Award, they not only help companies measure and improve their quality practices and performance strategies, but recognize those organizations for their achievements.

The Wisconsin Forward Award program is an offshoot of the Wisconsin Council for Workforce Excellence and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Through the annual award, both groups honor Wisconsin organizations that are making progress in their quest for world-class excellence. However, says Steudel, the word "win" is not used in the award's description. "The goal is learning, improvement and recognition," he says.

Donald S. Ermer (35K JPG)

Ermer echoes the statement. He has been affiliated with the program since its inception in 1998. An examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Ermer also participated on a 1997 team that recommended instituting such an award program in Wisconsin. He says the idea drew support because the awards are based on achievement levels—stepping stones to excellence. "Quality is supposed to be continuously improving," he says. All Forward Award applicants receive progress-based recognition; the national award limits the number of recipients to eight.

With nearly 80 Wisconsin experts from business, government, education and other organizations, Steudel, Sainfort and Ermer comprise the 1999 Board of Examiners. As senior examiners, they spend more than 120 hours attending training sessions, conducting application reviews, participating in consensus meetings and writing applicant feedback reports. They also lead and coordinate examiner teams and ensure they function ethically and confidentially.

Harold J. Steudel (33K JPG)

Examiners use the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence to evaluate organizations at four levels, from beginners at implementing improvement practices to companies that exhibit excellence and can be role models for others. Concepts central to the criteria include visionary leadership, customer-driven focus, organizational and personal learning, valuing employees and partners, agility, focus on the future, managing for innovation, management by fact, public responsibility and citizenship, focus on results and creating value, and a systems perspective. Participants also can use the criteria—or Ermer's "Wisconsin Challenge" workbook—as yardsticks for self-assessment.

When they've reviewed award applications (limited to 50 pages), examiners write feedback reports that emphasize an organization's strengths and highlight opportunities for improvement. "Everyone that I've worked with really wants to learn a method that actually works to improve the organization," says Ermer. With such a system in place, the organization can become more productive, reduce costs and on-the-job injuries, improve customer and employee satisfaction, and increase its market share. Ermer's rewards stem from watching workers become energized and businesses improve. "Those are things you can't get paid for," he says.

François Sainfort (31K JPG)

Sainfort says the participants' level of commitment—and excitement—is evident especially at the awards banquet. They praise the experience for the learning opportunity it affords. "Going through the Wisconsin Forward Award application and assessment process for St. Mary's was an excellent way for us to review our own organization and see where we can continue to improve," says Gerald Lefert, president of St. Mary's (Madison) Hospital Medical Center, a 1999 recipient of the Governor's Forward Award of Excellence, the highest honor.

KI-Manitowoc received a proficiency award in 1999, and Plant Manager Roger McGrath says the award will motivate his company. "We recognize the need to have measurable feedback as we grow as an organization," he says. "The feedback is excellent and will enable us to develop additional plans for improvement for the future."

Even the examiners gain insights that help them both on the job and off the clock. "I have learned many new ideas and approaches for implementing a systems approach to performance management," says Steudel. "I have also learned some specific ideas for doing more effective strategic planning and leadership, and the importance of best quality practices and performance strategies."

Sainfort says that despite the tremendous amount of work and time he commits to his role as examiner, the experience is worth it. "It has helped me learn more about what I've been teaching for a long time," says Sainfort. "It's nice to be able to apply what I've been teaching—and by doing so help the state of Wisconsin."