Rumor has it that deployment interviews conducted by the Sterling Examiner team at the Miami Metro Zoo were what locked in high scores for the Park and Recreation Department. J.J. the gorilla knew the department's vision of "a seamless, sustainable system of great parks, public spaces, natural areas, cultural areas, greenways, water trails and streets." And most of the parrots could recite the "top level" measures for the department with ease.
All attempts at humor aside, congratulations to Mayor Alvarez, County Manager George M. Burgess, and Department Director Jack Kardys on the Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department becoming the first such department in the state to receive the prestigious Sterling Award for organizational excellence.
A few of you out there may not know how the State Baldrige-based awards work. Here's a summary:
- The Governor’s Sterling Award process is comprehensive and rigorous, and is the highest award an organization can receive for performance excellence in Florida.
- Organizations submit a 50-page application that is scored against the seven categories of the Sterling Criteria: Leadership; Strategic Planning; Customer and Market Focus; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; Workforce Focus; Process Management; and Results.
- The Sterling Criteria (like most of the state programs) are based on the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria, which are nationally recognized as the world-class standard for organizational excellence.
- Expertly trained Sterling examiners independently review the application, and then conduct a substantial five to six day site-visit.
- The examiner team interviews employees at all levels of the organization and analyzes every aspect of the organization and its performance.
- Next, the examiner team prepares a detailed feedback report highlighting key strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- The Sterling Panel of Judges then selects organizations that have successfully implemented the Sterling Criteria and should be considered role-model organizations.
It's an impressive process and Miami-Dade residents are impressed, too. All 2.5 million of them have access to 258 properties maintained by the County Park and Recreation Department. The system includes the world famous Miami Metro Zoo (rated one of the top ten zoos), the 444 acre Deering Estate, and signature events such as the upcoming Annual Blue Water Classic fishing tournament.
Residents know their parks are special, but it was the Miami-Dade County Parks and Open Space System Master Plan that blew the Sterling examiners away. This Department not only has a vision, they have a plan, plus a well-developed process to execute it and a proven track record of doing so successfully.
The Miami Dade Parks and Recreation recognition by the Florida Sterling Council gave everyone here at ActiveStrategy quite a bit of satisfaction, too. We've been working with them for over five years and we knew they were great all along (and have the measures to prove it).
You can read more about the 2009 Governor’s Sterling Award Recipients at www.floridasterling.com.
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