Key Ingredients to Be a Successful FM

From our October 14, 2026 Cappuccino Hour, Key Ingredients to Be a Successful FM, CAFAE brought together industry professionals to explore the skills, habits and qualities that contribute to success in facility management, beyond technical knowledge alone.

Moderator Marcia O'Connor was joined by Janet Cooper, Strategic Initiatives / CapEx Project Manager, with written contributions from Ian Rogers, Director, National Facilities. Participants brought perspectives from a variety of sectors, including retail, public services, healthcare-related facilities, construction, consulting and post-secondary education.

Key Themes from the Discussion

Communication, Collaboration and Listening Come First

Throughout the discussion, communication and collaboration emerged as essential ingredients for success in facility management.

Janet emphasized how much of her professional growth came from working with colleagues, vendors and others who could share their knowledge and experience:

“Communication, because that's how you learn.”

When faced with an unfamiliar challenge, she explained that she would seek out someone with relevant expertise rather than trying to solve everything independently. Participants built on this idea, highlighting the importance of listening, asking questions and understanding different perspectives before making decisions.

Ian reinforced the importance of communication from another angle: understanding the people and organizations we serve. In his written reflections, he encouraged facility managers to learn the business, speak with the people doing the work and communicate operational issues in terms that stakeholders can understand.

Together, these perspectives highlighted that communication is more than sharing information. It is how professionals build relationships, learn from others, understand operational needs and bring the right people together to find solutions.

Resourcefulness and Continuous Learning Build Confidence

Facility managers are routinely presented with challenges they have never encountered before. Success often depends less on already knowing the answer and more on having the resourcefulness to find it.

Janet described how researching options, consulting peers and vendors, and gathering information helped her approach unfamiliar problems throughout her career.

Participants shared similar experiences, highlighting the importance of asking questions, remaining open-minded and being willing to acknowledge when something is outside their immediate expertise.

The conversation also explored how experience develops professional judgment. Janet encouraged facility managers to look beyond the obvious when assessing a site or situation:

“You look up, you look down, you look all around.”

Her point was that experienced professionals learn to notice conditions, connections and potential concerns that others may overlook. That awareness develops through observation, curiosity and repeated exposure to different situations.

Continuous learning is therefore not limited to formal education. It happens through everyday challenges, conversations with colleagues, asking questions and learning from the people around us.

Calm, Clear Decision-Making Makes a Difference

Facilities work is unpredictable. Equipment failures, emergencies, competing requests and unexpected operational challenges can quickly change the priorities of the day.

Ian emphasized that these are the moments when FM leadership becomes especially important. Rather than reacting immediately to the pressure, he encouraged professionals to gather the facts, understand the impact, establish priorities and then act.

“When everyone else is focused on the problem, the Facility Manager should be establishing and helping to create clarity around the solution.”

The group explored a familiar scenario: an operational emergency is already underway when a leader arrives with another urgent request. How do you determine what takes priority?

Participants emphasized the importance of assessing the situation before reacting. What is the operational impact? What is truly urgent? Who else can help? What information is needed to make an informed decision?

Janet also highlighted delegation as an important part of managing competing demands. Facility managers can be reluctant to hand over responsibility because they want to maintain control of the outcome. However, trusting capable team members allows work to move forward without requiring one person to manage every detail.

The discussion reinforced that confidence in decision-making does not mean responding to everything immediately. It means remaining composed, understanding the risks, communicating priorities and ensuring the right people are involved.

Trust Is Built Through Ownership and Follow-Through

Being dependable is an important part of facility management, but dependability goes beyond solving the immediate problem.

Janet emphasized the value of setting realistic expectations and delivering on commitments. She described her approach of allowing reasonable flexibility in timelines rather than making promises that may be difficult to keep.

That consistency helps build confidence among colleagues, leadership and the people relying on facility services.

Just as important is what happens after the immediate issue appears to be resolved.

“We've always got to follow through and close the loop on whatever issue it was.”

Janet noted that unresolved details or incomplete follow-up can create larger problems later. Taking the time to confirm that an issue has been addressed, communicate the outcome and ensure nothing has been overlooked is part of building professional credibility.

Ian's written reflections reinforced this idea through the importance of ownership. Facility managers do not need to personally repair every piece of equipment or solve every problem themselves. They do need to understand who is responsible, what support is required and how the issue will move toward resolution.

He also emphasized the importance of building relationships before they are needed, particularly across departments, contractors, vendors and service providers.

The larger message was that trust is built through everyday actions: listening, communicating, keeping commitments, taking ownership and following through.

What This Means for Professionals

In our industry, technical knowledge is essential, but it is only one part of what makes a successful facility manager.

The discussion highlighted the importance of bringing together communication, collaboration, resourcefulness, adaptability and sound decision-making. These skills help professionals navigate uncertainty, support their teams and respond effectively to the changing needs of the organizations they serve.

Success also does not require knowing everything or doing everything yourself. It means recognizing the strengths of others, continuing to learn, building relationships and taking responsibility for moving challenges toward solutions.

Ultimately, successful facility management is about more than maintaining buildings. It is about understanding people, supporting operations and creating the conditions for organizations to succeed.

Continuing the Conversation

CAFAE's Cappuccino Hour brings professionals together to share real experiences, practical insights and perspectives that extend beyond the hour itself.

Join us for our next Cappuccino Hour, FM Priorities: Mission Impossible, November 4th 2026, as we explore how facility professionals navigate competing demands, manage expectations and make difficult decisions when everything feels urgent.