Harry Hertz

Advisor, author, and speaker

Harry Hertz retired in June 2013 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he had served as director of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program since 1995. For more than 15 years he was the primary architect of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, responsible for expansion of the Baldrige Program and Award to healthcare, education, and nonprofits, including government. Hertz serves on the advisory group for the U.S. Veterans Health Administration’s Center for Applied Healthcare Studies, and on the adjunct faculty of American University. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, and a Ph.D. from MIT.

Thu, 05/15/2025 - 12:03
Can We Ignore Climate Change? A compelling case for including more about climate change in 2015–2016 Baldrige revisions
Wed, 06/11/2014 - 16:14
  Last month the quadrennial U.S. National Climate Assessment was issued. Although the report is 840 pages long, the conclusion is clear. It is stated in the very first sentence: “Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has…
How Does Your Workplace Stack Up? Baldrige winners score high in senior leadership
Wed, 01/22/2014 - 12:38
The results are in for the annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. The overall survey results are not surprising based on history, the current environment, and where many organizations—both government and business—have been challenged…
Not All Results Are Created Equal That’s why the wording of the Baldrige Criteria is intentional
Tue, 12/17/2013 - 17:34
The words used in the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence have been selected by design, i.e., in general there is a deliberate intent behind the words used and the order in which they are presented. Although that intent is clear to the…
We Knew It All Along Workforce satisfaction does not equal workforce engagement
Wed, 12/04/2013 - 16:06
Recently, I read a blog post about the “Myths of Motivation.” The point of the post is that motivating employees takes some time and energy and is not formulaic; one size does not fit all. The author then discusses four misconceptions about…
I Admit It; I Am an Introvert What are the requirements for effective senior leadership?
Fri, 10/25/2013 - 09:05
I am an introvert; INTJ for those who admire Myers-Briggs indicators. I remember being particularly pleased a few years ago when I read a Harvard Business Review article  that extolled the virtues of introverts as effective leaders. The article…
The Simple Bottle Who or what’s corked your flow?
Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:53
I always take away gems of wisdom from the Baldrige Program’s annual Quest for Excellence conference. This year was no exception. The gem I will share today comes from Choe Peng Sum, the CEO of Frasers Hospitality Pte. Ltd. in Singapore. He spoke…
Nine Key Changes in Performance Excellence What I learned during 20 years of leading Baldrige
Wed, 05/01/2013 - 11:10
I always find the annual Baldrige Quest for Excellence Conference to be more than a mere gathering of people to discuss topics of common interest. It is an energy-rich experience. The 25th anniversary event was all that and more because of the…
Why Healthcare Performance Is Important to U.S. Competitiveness Baldrige criteria can help reduce healthcare costs and improve quality
Tue, 02/05/2013 - 11:48
According to a recent PBS report based on information from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United States’ healtcare expenditures are 2.5 times greater than that of the most developed nations around the world.…
Embrace It or Not, Social Media Affects Your Organization The key is to take intelligent risks, guided by a supportive environment
Mon, 07/09/2012 - 14:34
In an earlier column, I focused on innovation as I pondered the growing importance of the topic to U.S. competitiveness and how to heighten attention to the topic in the 2013–2014 Criteria for Performance Excellence. This month, I am focusing on a…
Everybody Comes to Work Wanting to Do a Good Job The critical dozen characteristics for exceptional employees
Fri, 04/06/2012 - 16:56
The title of this column reflects what has been my guiding philosophy ever since my first managerial position. And I truly believe that the statement is accurate. This observation led me to muse recently about what makes employees not just good, but…