New Article Highlights the Characteristics of FM Leaders
Few events have shaped our world today in general—and facility management in particular—like the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As many reflect on the emergent strategies and lessons learned five years later, John Correia champions the people continuing to perform critical work in his recent FMJ article, The Real Heroes: Harnessing FM’s superpowers.
Following are highlights from John’s insight into what makes facility services professionals excel.
The qualities and characteristics that set facility managers apart
- Putting customers first. Leaders prioritize people and display empathy, vigilance and dedication in all that they do. Great FMs not only manage to model this consistently, they also instill and encourage that people-first ethos in every one of their team members.
- Centering excellence. While much of the magic facility managers accomplish goes on quietly behind the scenes, managers themselves are the opposite of invisible. In fact, they are almost omnipresent given their constant accessibility and responsiveness.
- Modeling teamwork. Strong leaders understand they are also coaches, empowering and supporting every person on their team—but also acting as a fully responsible team member who is not above doing any task, whether it’s picking up trash, mopping spills or subbing in for an absent employee.
- Innovating and problem solving. Facility management requires flexibility and thinking on your feet—even more so when you are tailoring solutions to the unique needs of every customer. Effective managers excel when challenged to think on their feet. They are quick thinkers, efficient problem solvers, and a force for calm amid the storm.
- Communicating seamlessly. Clear, consistent communication is essential when it comes to understanding needs, coordinating services, and addressing issues as well as building relationships and trust. That means listening attentively, too—being fully present and focused on the speaker.
A Glimpse at FM’s impact on industries and communities
Effective leaders in facility services elevate industries, spaces, and everyday lives. Correia’s article highlights a few memorable examples.
Thriving office spaces: FM teams go well beyond the basics of maintaining great workspaces—they shape corporate culture and help advance companies’ success.
Critical research and lab environments: At UG2, we are proud to play a role supporting researchers in universities, life science and biomedical firms, and pharmaceutical companies.
Inspiring educational facilities: From maintenance technicians to landscaping and custodial teams, FM teams positively impact students’ daily experiences in myriad ways.
Reliable data centers: FM teams in mission-critical data centers help ensure business continuity, boost efficiency and lower costs through diligent asset management and preventive maintenance.
Memorable sports and entertainment venues: FMs working behind the scenes at stadiums, arenas and convention centers are key to delivering positive, memorable guest experiences.
When it comes to identifying the qualities that help FM leaders excel, no one is better qualified than John Correia and the leadership team at UG2. To learn more about the characteristics that have enabled UG2 to maintain an unmatched standard of excellence amid unprecedented growth, read more of Correia’s article here, or get in touch with us directly today.