Dave Lubach: Making the Most of Face-to-Face Networkingtest

By Dave Lubach, Associate Editor

November 2014

Maintenance and engineering managers appreciate and often seek out face-to-face discussions of actual experiences with their peers in institutional and commercial facilities.

Unfortunately, in an increasingly wired world, it often is easier to communicate with others via e-mail or text messages or on various social media outlets. Unfortunately, those exchanges are often impersonal and tend to produce little in terms of results.

But when you bring together thousands of people from the same profession to discuss the issues that affect them, the conversation often turns productive and meaningful.

Managers who attended NFMT Vegas last month took advantage of the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas with others in their profession and develop meaningful contacts with their colleagues in the process. During two sessions I hosted — one honoring the 2014 Facility Maintenance Decisions Achievement Award recipients, the other a CMMS discussion — the attendees brought thought-provoking questions and comments to the panelists. They pushed the conversations in meaningful directions.

At the end of the show, an attendee told me, "I've never attended a conference where I saw so many people willing to learn. It's refreshing to see."

If time allows, make conferences and trade shows — local, regional, and national, if possible — part of your work routine. Not only do such events provide opportunities to speak with vendors and inquire about new products and systems. They also give managers a chance to converse with people of similar backgrounds without the filter of smartphones and laptops. The interaction can be invaluable for managers seeking solutions that can benefit their departments and organizations.

Dave Lubach offers insights gleaned from conversations with managers who make key maintenance and engineering decisions in commercial and institutional facilities.

Agree? Disagree? Have something to say? We want to hear from you. Visit myfacilitiesnet.com/davelubach, and start a conversation.