Facilities Management

Businesses expect facility managers to lead in a variety of ways—technically, socially, during times of crisis, and during change. All the while, they must control costs and improve service. In addition, leadership in facility management should occur in all directions: downward to staff, sideways to colleagues and upward to senior management.We have the responsibility to develop the facility management department into a professional operation, train and re-train staff, establish procedures and conduct quality assurance and performance management. The ideal facility manager must have Aristotle’s logic and Solomon’s wisdom, a priest’s discretion, and a gambler’s poker face, a lawyer’s shrewdness and a marketing director’s charm, a gladiator’s guts, a marathon runner’s perseverance and a sprinter’s speed, a leatherneck’s toughness and a dancer’s agility, lots of good luck and 30 hours per day. How do we achieve such a daunting task?This textbook introduces some human aspects of facilities management. More importantly, it raises awareness of these topics and offers facilities managers the knowledge to improve their performance through simple mindfulness of their significance. Facilities Management: What Really Matters covers eight critical areas. These include basic human needs, emotional intelligence, change management, conflict management, motivation, recognition, power of positive attitude, and customer service. As a bonus, the text includes PowerPoint slides, recommended videos, and a quiz at the end of each chapter.