External/Internal Baldrige Collaboration

Organizations hire external Baldrige experts to help:

Facilitate the process. An outside expert understands how the assessment process works and what the Criteria are requesting and can help smooth the process. He or she can ensure that the right questions are being answered as completely and accurately as possible.
Take some of the load off the teams. An outside expert can help with the research, writing, and/or editing. In my experience, an outside person provides a valuable independent perspective of the organization's management system. Because internal team members are expected to know the answers to many of the Criteria questions, the questions go unasked and learning opportunities are missed.
Write the assessment in a single voice. When internal teams write the assessment, it frequently ends up sounding like seven different organizations. An outside expert can unify the assessment, enhancing its value as an accurate snapshot of the organization's entire management system and its usefulness as a communication tool.
Identify and act on gaps. An outside expert can help teams identify opportunities for improvement during the assessment process and act on closing these gaps without having to wait until the assessment is done and a feedback report is generated.

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