Examiner Training
Judge the Best. Become Better.
Sterling Examiners evaluate applicant organizations against the Criteria for Performance Excellence. You train on the framework, read the inner workings of high-performing organizations, and carry a sharper toolkit back to your own.
Applications due September 11, 2026
The training
What You Learn
Four progressive modules take you from the framework to a completed evaluation.
Sterling Framework (Criteria 101)
Foundational training on the Sterling Criteria for Performance Excellence.
Evaluating Applications
Hands-on practice assessing real applicant materials with case studies.
Criteria 102
A deeper dive into each of the six Process Categories, plus Results.
Application Assessment Training
A hands-on simulation that guides Examiners through the full assessment process, from application evaluation through the Site Visit.
The payoff
You Come to Evaluate. You Leave Changed.
Examining is service — and it is the most hands-on leadership development Sterling offers.
See excellence from the inside
Read real applications and site-visit high-performing organizations. You learn what actually drives systematic excellence — by watching it work.
Leadership you take home
Sharpen critical thinking, systems perspective, analytical skill, and business acumen — then apply them the moment you return to your own organization.
A community of quality professionals
Join the Board of Examiners — a network drawn from every industry and sector, connected by one standard for performance excellence.
Everything examiners need — training manuals, scoring guides, consensus tools, and site-visit worksheets — lives in the Examiner Resource library.
In their words
From the Board of Examiners
Kara Brien
Sterling Lead Examiner
Jeff Harris
Sterling Examiner
“Serving as a Sterling Examiner is both professionally and personally rewarding. The experience sharpens your ability to assess organization systems, strengthens strategic thinking, and provides practical insights that can be immediately applied within your own organization. More importantly, it reinforces a shared commitment to organizational excellence and continuous improvement that benefits the broader community. It is an experience that continues to shape my leadership and reinforces my commitment to organizational excellence.”
Alisha Curtis
Director, Strategic Operations, Alachua County Tax Collector's Office; 2025 Advanced Examiner
“The Sterling Framework for Performance Excellence is THE premier roadmap for any organization seeking to optimize their systems and processes, or sustain high performance. As a Sterling Examiner, evaluating organizations against these criteria, I am privileged to learn from and apply best practices that have been implemented across a broad range of business sectors. Serving as an Examiner has been hands-down the most effective leadership development accelerator, and leads to better outcomes for my team and organization.”
Kyle Jordan, MBA, MSN, RN, TCTCN, CPHQ
Sterling Examiner
The right fit
Who Should Attend
Sterling seeks examiners from every industry and sector. The common thread is judgment, not a job title.
New applicants to the Board of Examiners
Returning Examiners seeking refresher and advanced training
Senior leaders who want to apply the Sterling Framework within their own organizations
Quality, HR, and continuous improvement professionals
Practitioners in leadership, management, data analysis, and customer service across for-profit, nonprofit, and public sectors
Get started
Register
One registration, whether it’s your first cycle or your tenth. Applications are due September 11, 2026.
New examiners: email your Application of Intent to registration@thesterlingcouncil.org, then complete the registration form above.
Questions? Call the Sterling Office at 850-922-5316.