The Sterling Council

The Sterling Council Equipping leaders and organizations with proven tools, training, and recognition to drive better results.

The Sterling Council was formed in 1992, aligning with Florida Statutes 110.235 and 381.001, as a not-for-profit, public/private partnership supported by the Office of the Governor (and public and private businesses). Our extensive corps of Sterling performance excellence professionals, which includes more than 150 examiners and a 40-member Board of Directors, maintains exceptionally high standards and saves organizations, as well as the state, millions of dollars annually.

The carrot and the stick just got wrecked.Daniel Pink's Drive is the first book in the Sterling Book Club - and it smash...
09/02/2026

The carrot and the stick just got wrecked.

Daniel Pink's Drive is the first book in the Sterling Book Club - and it smashes the idea that people only move when you dangle a reward or wave a threat. Autonomy. Mastery. Purpose. That's the operating system high-performing leaders actually run on.

Buy it. Read it. Listen to it on the commute. Then show up.

The Sterling Book Club launches Tuesday, September 15 at 12:00 p.m. ET. Thirty minutes. Online. Free. Nothing to prep, nothing to present.

Read the book if you can - come anyway if you can't.

Register: https://thesterlingcouncil.org/events/book-club

Get the book: https://a.co/d/03ACuCT4

One book. Thirty minutes. Every other month. Let's turn that stack on your nightstand into a conversation.

Sterling seeks examiners from every industry and sector. The common thread is judgment, not a job title.Put a hospital C...
09/02/2026

Sterling seeks examiners from every industry and sector. The common thread is judgment, not a job title.

Put a hospital COO, a plant manager, a school district director, and a quality lead on the same team, and something useful happens: the assumptions you didn't know you had stop surviving the conversation.

That's the part people don't expect. You join to assess other organizations. You end up assessing how you think.

"Although serving as a Team Leader requires a significant amount of time and energy, I have found it to be well worth my time. As a Team Leader, I have the opportunity to work with a team of Examiners with a wide range of experience and perspectives who challenge my own personal biases and help me to further my professional growth. In addition, it is a gift to be able to learn and network with other high performing organizations and to mentor Examiners who will be future leaders within the Sterling organization."

— Jeff Cooper, Chief Operating Officer, Hemophilia of Georgia · 2025 Master Examiner

Applications for the 2026–2027 Board of Examiners close September 11th.

Become an Examiner → https://thesterlingcouncil.org/leadership-training/examiner-training

You come to evaluate. You leave changed.Sterling Examiners don’t sit in a classroom and talk about excellence. They read...
09/01/2026

You come to evaluate. You leave changed.
Sterling Examiners don’t sit in a classroom and talk about excellence. They read real applications, walk site visits, and see what actually drives systematic performance — then take that lens back to their own organization.

99% of examiners said the training strengthened their leadership skills.

Wednesday, September 2 | Noon–12:30 PM ET | Free Zoom

30 minutes. Pack a lunch. Pack a question. Ask current examiners about the role, the hours, and the value that comes home with you.
Cohort starts September 2026. Applications due September 11. Limited seats.

Save your seat:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ya7Cuh65SKSVD8d6f0OIBw

Become an Examiner:
https://thesterlingcouncil.org/leadership-training/examiner-training

Judge the best. Become better.

You come to evaluate. You leave changed.Most leaders study one organization their entire career — their own. Sterling Ex...
08/31/2026

You come to evaluate. You leave changed.

Most leaders study one organization their entire career — their own. Sterling Examiners study several a year, from the inside, against the Criteria for Performance Excellence.

That's not a volunteer shift. It's a leadership education you can't buy.

"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 of Strategic Operations, Alachua County Tax Collector's Office · 2025 Advanced Examiner

Applications for the 2026–2027 Board of Examiners close September 11. All training is virtual or self-study.

Become an Examiner → https://thesterlingcouncil.org/leadership-training/examiner-training

Judge the best. Become better. Bring lunch.This Wednesday, September 2, 30 minutes at noon ET and sit with current Sterl...
08/31/2026

Judge the best. Become better. Bring lunch.
This Wednesday, September 2, 30 minutes at noon ET and sit with current Sterling Examiners.

You'll hear what the role actually is, what the ~40-hour commitment looks like, and why examiners call this the most hands-on leadership development Sterling offers. You train on the Framework, read the inner workings of high-performing organizations, and carry a sharper toolkit home - critical thinking, systems perspective, analytical skill, and business acumen you can use the same week.

No title required. Judgment is the common thread. New applicants, returning examiners, senior leaders, quality, HR, and CI professionals across business, healthcare, education, government, and nonprofit.

Last free lunch-hour Q&A of the season. Applications for the September 2026 cohort close September 11.

Register free (Noon-12:30 PM ET):
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ya7Cuh65SKSVD8d6f0OIBw

Full program details:
https://thesterlingcouncil.org/leadership-training/examiner-training

08/28/2026

Influence is about connection, not position.
Titles open the door. Connection is what gets people to walk through it with you.
Where do you rely too heavily on authority instead of connection — and how does that limit your ability to lead change?
Watch. Reflect. Reply.

08/28/2026

Influence is about connection, not position.

Titles open the door. Connection is what gets people to walk through it with you.

Where do you rely too heavily on authority instead of connection — and how does that limit your ability to lead change?

Watch. Reflect. Reply.

08/25/2026

📚 New! The Sterling Book Club Webinar Series
In this video, Jason Lesandrini (PhD, FACHE, LPEC, HEC-C) introduces our new leadership reading habit designed for busy professionals.

One book. Thirty minutes. Every other month.

No preparation. No presentations. Just focused conversation that turns the books you've been meaning to read into practical insights you can apply right away.

First session
Drive by Daniel H. Pink
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | 12:00 PM ET
Free | Online

Jason leads the discussion-pulling out the ideas that matter most for continuous improvement, motivation, and high-performing organizations.

Bring your reading... and your curiosity.
Watch the video, then reserve your spot:

https://thesterlingcouncil.org/events/book-club

08/22/2026

From the Summer Learning Series vault:
Alaa El-Halwagy, Chairman of the Board at Sterling International, delivers clear, actionable guidance on navigating change and building adaptability.
Catch this short video, then lock in your spot for the remaining sessions on Aug 19 and Aug 26.
RSVP + view everything here →
https://thesterlingcouncil.org/leadership-training/summer-learning-series
Elevate your leadership.

“Going through the training and later an assessment is like obtaining two organizational behavior degrees.”For Kara Brie...
08/21/2026

“Going through the training and later an assessment is like obtaining two organizational behavior degrees.”

For Kara Brien, becoming a Sterling Examiner did more than build leadership skills. It changed how she sees an organization’s operating system—and introduced her to a network of people who freely share their expertise when complex challenges arise.

In her new blog post, Kara reflects on the systems thinking, professional growth, and lasting relationships she has gained through the Sterling Board of Examiners.

Read “Becoming a Sterling Examiner”: https://thesterlingcouncil.org/blog/becoming-a-sterling-examiner

Address

1425 Piedmont Drive East, Suite 101A
Tallahassee, FL
32308

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+18509225316

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Sterling Council posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Sterling Council:

Shortcuts

Share

Category