Some things are just meant to be, apparently. Sept. 23, 2014, marked an interesting waypoint in the career of someone concerned about standards of measurement, because on that day, I became a standard reference human.

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

One of the biggest barriers to creating new ideas is the raw inertia of organizations. Personally, I’m not satisfied with the “way we’ve always done it.”

His was a politically unpopular act. The tension between Britain and the American colonies had heightened. The resentment against the crown had grown, and the mere presence of British troops only made feelings more bitter.