People-First Facilities Management - Diego Areiza - Facility Rockstars - Episode # 011

Today’s guest is an inspiring leader with an incredible career path, going from the Colombian Navy to one of the largest global PR firms to now managing top-notch facilities in Massachusetts. Diego Areiza is a Facilities Manager at ISS and a Maintenance Management Specialist in the US Army. Diego joins Host Jay Culbert for a fantastic conversation about how to manage the people-first nature of facility management, what technological solutions make a real positive impact on your day-to-day operations, and what facilities leaders need to know in order to succeed with the changing workforce.

Takeaways:

• Put people first. The success of any operation hinges on the team. Support, empower, and trust your people to do their best work.
• Empower through delegation. Find the right people for the job, then step back and allow them the space to innovate and execute.
• Embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Mistakes are inevitable but learning from them is where growth happens for you and your team.
• Maintain open lines of communication with your team and others. Weekly or bi-weekly meetings with clients and vendors can streamline operations and foster better partnerships.
• Use technology to enhance operations. Whether it's a CMMS for maintenance management or CRM systems for client relations, technology can greatly assist in productivity.
• Treat leadership as a continuous learning journey. Reflect on your actions, seek improvement, and stay humble.
• Develop a clear succession plan. This ensures that the team can continue to operate effectively, even in your absence.
• Focus on clear goals and expectations, but allow your team the autonomy to achieve these in their own way. This can lead to innovation and more effective solutions.
• Always be recruiting. Networking and keeping a talent pool is crucial for quickly filling roles with the right people.
• Lead with empathy. Understanding and respecting each team member's unique challenges and contributions can create a more cohesive and motivated team.

Quote of the Show:

• “Leadership is a science and it's something you need to study.” - Diego Areiza

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dareizam
• Personal Website: https://areizadiego.wordpress.com/
• ISS Website: https://www.issworld.com/en
• US Army Website: https://www.army.mil

Shoutouts:

• Maximo: https://www.ibm.com/products/maximo
• Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/
• Admiral Rodolfo Amaya

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0M2XB78b09i5vkWy1eHsxb
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/facility-rockstars/id1729458441
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/60bbc4f3-a123-47ca-9a83-eade102c5859/facility-rockstars
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/facility-rockstars-5616662
• YouTube:
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Facility Rockstars is sponsored by Kaloutas, operating the way you operate in order to make your life easier. Learn more at: https://www.kaloutas.com