Dr. Joe Sprangel
At SPQA, our support in helping organizations on their journey to excellence leverages the talents and experiences of our volunteer workforce. Each volunteer workforce member has a unique story to tell. In this article we have interviewed Dr. Joe Sprangel.
What interested you in becoming an Examiner with SPQA?
I was intrigued with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award from the first time I learned about it in the late 1980s. I wanted to work for a company to achieve this lofty status. That goal has not materialized to date, so I thought the next best thing would be to work as an examiner to support a company that was working on becoming an award recipient.
What have you enjoyed the most about being an examiner?
I enjoyed watching the team come together from the initial training to the onsite visit. Each of us brought different strengths to the examiner process. Throughout our time together, everyone was fully committed to getting us to the end objective of the final report.
What skills have you gained since becoming a volunteer with SPQA?
A primary career focus has been on change management. I see one of the keys to success in moving from the status quo to a desired future state is to have a comprehensive guide to support the work. The in-depth learning and application of the Baldrige Excellence Framework was an opportunity to expand my knowledge of leadership and management best practices.
What do you most want to learn from this experience?
My experience is that you cannot fully understand a framework until wholly immersed in the work. I now have a thorough understanding of the Baldrige Excellence Framework, which I will use to help support my work as a change management consultant.
Outside of volunteering with SPQA, what is the hobby you’re most passionate about?
The hobby I am most passionate about is endurance athletics. I have completed six half-marathons, 15 full marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and my ultimate experience of a full Ironman Triathlon.