When you first become a facility manager, it is easy to think that leadership means having all the answers. You want to prove yourself. You answer every call, get involved in every repair and try to solve every problem before it reaches anyone else. You become the person everyone relies on when something goes wrong. That feels like leadership, especially when you have built your career by being dependable and getting things done. However, if every problem needs your involveme

august issue 1 - 2026 Building Connections Connecting people, ideas, and opportunities across our community. Marcia O'Connor Academic Director, CAFAE Founder & President, AMFM Consulting Inc. Inspirational Leader | Educator | Mentor From Marcia's Desk Throughout my career, I've found that some of the most valuable learning has happened through conversations with others. Whether it's exchanging ideas at an industry event, collaborating on a project, or hearing how someone sol

From our July 8, 2026 webinar, What Your Lease Is Really Saying, CAFAE brought together industry professionals to discuss the practical realities of lease management and the lessons facility professionals need to navigate increasingly complex lease agreements. Lease agreements influence nearly every aspect of facility operations, from maintenance responsibilities and operating costs to capital planning and risk management. Yet for many facility professionals, leases remain on

JuLY issue 1 - 2026 | from CAFAE Building Connections Connecting people, ideas, and opportunities across our community. Marcia O'Connor Academic Director, CAFAE Founder & President, AMFM Consulting Inc. Inspirational Leader | Educator | Mentor From Marcia's Desk Can hardly believe it’s already July! As summer gets underway, I’ve been reflecting on how far CAFAE has come, and more importantly, where we’re headed next. This season marks an exciting period of growth for our org