As a Facilities Manager I take great responsibility for my team. Not just as employees but as people. Facilities are all about the place, process, technology but most importantly the people.
Investing in my team is where I am laser focused. They are in the trenches, behind the scenes and on the front lines. Actively listening, empowering and allowing them to thrive and not be afraid to lead is key as a facilities manager in team development.
I started implementing monthly one-on-ones with each team member, and honestly, it was uncomfortable at first for both of us. Facilities teams aren't used to sitting down and talking about goals and development. We're used to fixing things and moving on to the next crisis. But slowly these became conversations we looked forward to, and I knew it was something to focus on.
In those early one-on-ones, I wasn't asking about work or project updates. I was simply asking, “How are you doing? What's happening in your life? What do you want to learn?” Some people looked at me like I'd lost my mind. But slowly, as I showed up consistently month after month, the walls came down on both sides. It was and continues to be the very few meetings I look forward to!
One employee in particular was on a full performance improvement plan (PIP), and I was determined to get them on track. When I became their manager, I went to work. The feedback was that they were combative, uncommunicative and resistant to direction. With the support of my boss and colleagues guiding me as a new facilities manager, I knew I needed to try a different approach.
I was open to starting the hard conversation during our first one-on-one. At first the meetings were so tense. They didn't trust me, so I started differently. I asked about their family. I learned that they were dealing with major personal health concerns which made coming to work feel impossible.
Little by little, I started sharing my own struggles. At times I'd felt overwhelmed or misunderstood. I wasn't trying to make it about me, but I was showing them I understood that life doesn't pause because we have buildings to manage.
It took about two years for the breakthrough. The work got stronger, the conversations lighter, and eventually they opened up. Two years of very deep, hard conversations where there were major tensions and moments I wondered if we'd ever break through. But we didn't give up because I could see potential that performance reviews never revealed.
When our organization implemented CliftonStrengths assessments, it gave my team value beyond "good at fixing things." Understanding these strengths completely changed how I delegate. The assessment results allowed me to see that everyone works differently and started assigning tasks based on how people naturally operated. More importantly, CliftonStrengths gave my team permission to see themselves as leaders with unique strengths and values.
The compound effect of monthly one-on-ones, CliftonStrengths understanding and Bravely coaching has proven to be successful and significant. When I'm out of the office or at a conference, my team doesn't wait for my return. They step seamlessly into leadership roles because they've been developing those muscles all along.
Professional development in facilities management isn't a luxury and I challenge you to not treat it as such and you will also grow right along with your team. It's how you build resilience, retain talent, and create succession plans that actually work. It's how you transform people who fix things into leaders who solve problems.
Maria Ruiz is a Facilities Operations Manager at UNICEF USA with 15+ years of cross-sector expertise. Overseeing multiple national offices, she applies Lean Six Sigma methodologies to create sustainable, efficient workspaces supporting humanitarian missions. Her writing champions women in facilities management by blending technical knowledge with practical insights that empower professionals in this traditionally male-dominated field.
