Fresh Eyes Facilities Association

FM Tutorial

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	It is our experience of 16 years in FM that it can be best explained as a profession that normally manages some or all of the following activities. When you look at the services pages you will see how diverse and challenging Facilities Management and how knowledgable an FM needs to be in 2008.
Strategy	This is the FMs think tank, his opportunity to plan and make ready for the expected and the unexpected, remember "If you fail to plan you in fact plan to fail" Michael Glass Chair of Midlands region of BIFM 2002-2007
Team	Very often the Team is the only real asset a Facilities Manager has at his disposal. They should be nurtured and managed just as we do with children; educating, training, developing and mentoring, but especially treated with respect and dignity. We believe in the old addage that we should treat staff as we would want to be treated ourselves, especially as in most cases it follows that those we step on to rise up the ladder have the lasting opportunity to step on us as we slide down the snakes in the great game of life.
Communications	How we communicate is as important as turning up, do it wrong and you should not do it at all. If you are sailing a dinghy across a harbour and you see a ocean going ferry coming straight for you would you expend your effort on shouting or sending the captain an email or would you use every gram of effort left in you to get the H*** out of the way? Knowing who to communicate with and the best medium in which to communicate with them to get the result you need is key to getting the message across. Running through the basics always helps; who, when, why, what result, which medium or method, how do you want them to react. These days it is so easy to send an email or pick up the mobile phone, but if you are looking for the listener to support  your case, asking them just after they have had their head chewed off by their boss may not be the best time. We often forget that it is not what is communicated but what is heard or written so put yourself in the position of the receiver and think again. A boss of mine from my days in 1973 back at Eton College used to say; If you think it, don't say it If you say it, don't write it If you write it, don't send it If you send it resign......... now who could that apply to today
Buildings	We will remember that people advise us in life that the time we purchase a house is the most stressful time,
Services
Environment	We will remember that people advise us in life that the time we buy a house is the most stressful time, well it applies to companies as well. When a company moves location it is the most destabilising time for the business. It will probably be the single largest purchase or lease the company makes, it will probably be the change that effects more of the staff, doing it right will bring untold rewards, doing it wrong is not worth thinking about. Once bought or leased the building has to be managed. Time spent at that stage setting up systems of monitoring and reviewing will prove invaluable.
Compliance
Contractor Management
Information Communication Technology	Is this the Black Art of the 21st Century? It certainly separates the old men from the boys. The youngsters often leave us behind - but then a worthy tip is to concentrate on How to use it not on how it works.

We are pronounced FEeFA

(the footballers got it wrong they are FIFA with an i!)