Igniting the Future: 35 Insights to Excellence — Feb 2024

Indulge me for a second: after nearly 10 years with the “PENworks” label, our annual conference is now igniteEX. Why the change? “Ignite” captures the essence of the conference -- it’s about inspiring change; sparking ideas and innovation; improving processes, people, and outcomes! After hosting years of successful conferences, we've seen first-hand the energy and [...]

2024-02-29T08:45:48-06:00February 29, 2024|

Insights from igniteEX: A Prequel — March 7 PEN Webinar

In many ways, what's required for organizational excellence these days has changed: there are new work environments (such as hybrid), severe talent shortages, emerging technologies (like artificial intelligence).  But in other ways, nothing has changed: we still need to satisfy our customers; we still need to engage our teams; and we still need to improve [...]

2024-02-21T13:33:15-06:00February 21, 2024|

Accelerating, Achieving, Sustaining Excellence: A (re)Introduction to Baldrige — March 21 PEN Webinar

Today’s environment is complex: leaders are navigating new and unique challenges, as most sectors and industries deal with staffing & talent shortages, economic & budget constraints, and ever-shifting customer & market expectations.  While not a prescriptive “silver bullet,” the now 37-year-old Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework provides leaders of any organization or any community a pathway [...]

2024-02-21T10:45:12-06:00February 21, 2024|

Advancing Performance Excellence: Baldrige 201 — Nov 14 & 17 Online Workshop

The Performance Excellence Network — in partnership with the Wisconsin Center for Performance Excellence — is pleased to announce a powerful workshop: Advancing Performance Excellence: Baldrige 201, November 14 & 17 -- both 8:00AM to 12:00PM both online. Baldrige 201 builds off of Baldrige 101 (Principles of Performance Excellence (which is offered many times a year, [...]

2023-09-18T07:16:47-05:00September 18, 2023|

Adapt or Die: Most Corporate Failures are Self-Inflicted — PEN Sept 2018

What do the American mastodon, Woolly mammoth, and Arizona jaguar all have in common?  Here’s a hint: they all suffered similar fates to Hostess Brands, Circuit City, and Blockbuster.  Yes, they all went away.  Extinction.  Vanished.  Disappeared.  But I think the companies could all take a lesson from the animals that died before them: organizations [...]

2018-09-24T21:07:31-05:00September 24, 2018|

The Key to Sustained World Class Performance: Deliberate Practice — PEN July 2018

Everywhere you look, standards are rising.  In business, in sports, in education, in healthcare – really in all aspects of human and organizational achievement – what is considered world class continues to increase.  For example…   It used to take 72 hours by plane to cross the Atlantic (1913); it now takes just over six.  [...]

2018-07-23T22:10:24-05:00July 23, 2018|

Excellence is a Choice: 44 Insights on Positivity, Optimism & Improvement – PEN June 2018

Quick show of hands: who is stressed?  Maybe not right this second, but sometime the last few days or weeks?  Any stress out there?  I’m not sure anyone is actually raising their hand at their desks, but metaphorically, for those of you who didn’t, you’re probably lying because the data show we’re all pretty stressed [...]

2018-06-24T19:12:34-05:00June 24, 2018|

Mankato Area Council for Quality Becomes Part of Performance Excellence Network

January 17, 2018 For Immediate Release Mankato Area Council for Quality Becomes Part of Performance Excellence Network Acquisition Provides MACQ Members Access to PEN Resources, Advances Continuous Improvement and Excellence in the Mankato Area ST. PAUL, Minn., January 17, 2018 – The Performance Excellence Network (PEN) and the Mankato Area Council for Quality (MACQ) announce [...]

2018-01-17T15:18:18-06:00January 17, 2018|

Performance Excellence Network Recognizes Four Organizations

Performance Excellence Network Recognizes Four Organizations 2016 Performance Excellence Awards Presented at PENworks 2017 Conference; Lt. Governor Celebrates Excellence in Minnesota   ST. PAUL, Minn., April 27, 2017 – The Performance Excellence Network (PEN), formerly the Minnesota Council for Quality, today honors four recipients of the 2016 Performance Excellence Award (formerly the MN Quality Award).  [...]

2017-04-28T15:51:23-05:00April 28, 2017|
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