Definition: "Excellent leaders develop and facilitate the achievement of the mission and vision. They develop organisational values and systems required for sustainable success and implement these via their actions and behaviours. During periods of change they retain a constancy of purpose. Where required, such leaders are able to change the direction of the organisation and inspire others to follow."

Copyright EFQM 1999. The EFQM Model is a Registered Trademark.

There are five sub criterion parts (1a to 1e), associated with the Leadership criterion, and although these are written in terms of what (excellent) leaders do or how they behave, they can simply be turned into questions about the target organisation.

Examples of Sub Criterion Parts are:

1b. Leaders are personally involved in ensuring the organisation's management system is developed, implemented and continuously improved
1d. Leaders reinforce a culture of excellence with the organisation's people

Associated with each criterion part are a number of guidance points that can be used to expand upon the question that is effectively posed by the criterion part definition. For example, under Criterion part 1b a relevant question might be about how the leadership assigns ownership of key processes. Criterion 1d might ask about how the leaders personally communicate the organisation's vision and strategy to their staff.