What is the REAL Role of your Facility Manager?

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Jul 15

Over the past several years I have been introduced to some very smart people involved in the facility management field. I have gleaned so much from these people who have far more experience than me and are frankly, much smarter. People like Kevin Folsom, the Facility Manager at Dallas Theological Seminary, and Michel Theriault, RPA, LEED AP (better known as the FM Advisor). Check out his BLOG and sign up for his regular posts…he has some great stuff…even if he is from the “Great White North” (Hows it going, Eh? LOL).

Well…Michel and I were kicking a topic around the other day about the role of the FM based on a POST I did and put on LinkedIn entitled “Practitioner vs. Leader”. As part of that discussion, Michel sent me a graphic that was so much better than the material I had put out that I had to share it with you all. So, with Michel’s approval (thanks Michel), the following is from one of his recent blogs including a Pie Chart that really helps to clarify the variations and “flavors” of responsibilities that a facility manager can have. This blog is not geared exclusively toward church or non-profits…but the principles remain the same. Is also reiterates the need for the “Management/Leadership” role of a Facility Manager

Enjoy…I know you will:

Unlike some professions, Facility Management encompasses many different roles and skills. Not everyone in the facility or property management profession are responsible for all of these roles. Some are responsible for specific functions as specialists, others are responsible for everything while some oversee all these roles through other specialists.

Regardless, it’s important to have a working knowledge of each one so you can effectively deal with your colleagues, manage staff or interface with external resources.

A pie-shaped diagram is the easiest way to represent the broad responsibilities in the Facility Management Profession since FM includes so many different skills and responsibilities.

This Pie Graph, which comes directly from the book “Managing Facilities & Real Estate” , shows the full range of Facility Management responsibilities.

You could categorize them or subdivide them differently, but the fundamental responsibilities are all within this diagram. Depending on your role, you may be responsible for all these elements or just a few. You may also oversee them all, but have other experts on your team who focus on a specific aspect of the role. Some of these specific areas are actually represented by their own professions when performed as a distinct, separate role. For instance, a portion of the Pie covers both Commercial Property Management and Project Management. The Facility Management profession actually encompasses both of those functions.

From this, you can see that it is impossible for any given FM to have all the knowledge and skills to perform all the roles that are frequently expected of them. In addition, many of the responsibilities are non-technical, and they are in fact increasingly becoming strategic in nature. That’s why a Facility Manager has to rely on other experts, whether on their staff or as contractors and consultants. The profession of Facility Management isn’t just about the person with the Facility Manager title – it’s also about the large supporting cast of specialists, experts and other professionals.

The Facility Manager’s most useful skills are Management & Leadership related – particularly the ability to develop strategy, communicate, lead and manage resources. The top FM’s in any large company rose to their level because of those skills.

The issue of scope and responsibility is further expanded when you consider typical portfolios, which can range from a single building to a regional or national portfolio and even an international portfolio of properties. Like many other profession, the larger the scope, the more people involved at different levels. Where a smaller property may have a single Facility Manager, a large portfolio may have a Vice President, Facilities, with several hundred staff under them.