A few weeks ago I signed up for the 30 Day Twitter challenge – each day brings a new email with a new idea and action to take. Today was to ask a question of my Twitter followers, which would create content for my blog. It’s been hilarious!
My question was,
‘What’s the strangest request you’ve ever had as an FM?’
Here’s a selection of the best responses:
• Why don’t we get 12 types of tea? (There were 8 already available!)
• Could you 'just' move a 30 foot tree in a glass box in reception to make way for a party?
• Would it be safe for some Orcs on stilts to run around our marble reception?
• Could the Helpdesk stop car drivers peeping their horns outside the building?
• I was asked to dispose of the amputated leg of a polish sailor, we had the only waste incinerator on the islands - it took 4 days
• Put manure on new concrete to make it look older and of course transport the manure in my car!
• Please buy a purple hot air balloon to fly over our HQ and to illuminate it with purple laser lights
• Can we please have somewhere secure for the Robot Mime to store his day clothes?
Huge thanks to all who responded, especially to Julie Kortens, Michael Glass, Martin Pickard, Ismena Clout, Jason Gurd, Laura Gillespie and David Martinez. You can find them on Twitter @thefmguru @JKortens @JGurd @lozi41 @FEfacilitiesA @BIFM_Ismena @dmartinez_PhD
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever been asked? Please contact me Liz Kentish The FM Coach leave a comment below or on Twitter using hashtag #FMCoach – I look forward to hearing from you!
Showing posts with label facilities management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label facilities management. Show all posts
Friday, 10 February 2012
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Please - don’t judge me
I’ve been working with a client recently who, as part of our coaching, decided to undertake both 360˚ feedback with colleagues, as well as using our own ‘personal asset register’ – (check out our e-book The Hunt is On for more details)
What has been really interesting, is how quick people are to judge – we read the word ‘workaholic’ a few times, and work-life balance was also mentioned quite often. Rather than simply jumping to the conclusion that my client needs to have a better balance, we didn’t take these comments at face value, but instead looked deeper, to check whether their current ‘balance’ and workload is in fact in line with their personal values. And guess what? With a few little tweaks, their current workload is manageable, in fact it’s fun! This individual is driven by pressure, deadlines, and success.
So, the message is, beware of judging others by your own values – it may just be that they are different!
Have you come across something similar? Let us know - email Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326
What has been really interesting, is how quick people are to judge – we read the word ‘workaholic’ a few times, and work-life balance was also mentioned quite often. Rather than simply jumping to the conclusion that my client needs to have a better balance, we didn’t take these comments at face value, but instead looked deeper, to check whether their current ‘balance’ and workload is in fact in line with their personal values. And guess what? With a few little tweaks, their current workload is manageable, in fact it’s fun! This individual is driven by pressure, deadlines, and success.
So, the message is, beware of judging others by your own values – it may just be that they are different!
Have you come across something similar? Let us know - email Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326
Friday, 11 November 2011
Real life examples of great facilities management
I’ve been fortunate this week to come across some fantastic examples of service delivery and client relationships by FM service providers this week, which I’d like to share with you.
A prospective client was running later for a bid presentation, and had inadvertently left his case (with laptop) on his train as he rushed to Paddington for the meeting. As you can imagine, as soon as he realised, he began to panic. The CEO from the service provider heard what was going on and got straight onto his helpdesk, asking them to send someone to Paddington. Within an hour or so the helpdesk team member knocked at the door of the meeting room and reunited case and owner. Talk about demonstrating how FM solves problems! As an aside, it turns out the individual from the helpdesk had had to pay £20 to retrieve the case, which he duly paid. But rather than ask the owner, in front of a room full of the bid team, he waited till later on and quietly had a word with the CEO, who reimbursed him. That’s true customer service! (aAnd yes, the prospective client awarded them the contract!)
The second example comes from a PFI school, where one student was shouting at a member of the FM team ‘..and anyway, you’re only the caretaker!’ This was overhead by the FM and the Head teacher, who were on a site walkabout at the time. The Head called the student over and asked him, ‘Who is the most important person in this school?’. ‘You, Sir’, came the response. ‘No’, said the Head, and asked the question again. Eventually the Head pointed out that the caretaker was in fact the most important person – he was up at 5 o’clock every morning, opened the school and the gates, turned on the lights and heating, prepared the rooms and so on. The student went away, tail between his legs, having learned that everyone has a role to play. What makes the story so special is that the client, in this case the Head, understood the importance and value of FM and was prepared to ensure everyone else did too.
Do you have stories to share? Please get in touch with Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326
A prospective client was running later for a bid presentation, and had inadvertently left his case (with laptop) on his train as he rushed to Paddington for the meeting. As you can imagine, as soon as he realised, he began to panic. The CEO from the service provider heard what was going on and got straight onto his helpdesk, asking them to send someone to Paddington. Within an hour or so the helpdesk team member knocked at the door of the meeting room and reunited case and owner. Talk about demonstrating how FM solves problems! As an aside, it turns out the individual from the helpdesk had had to pay £20 to retrieve the case, which he duly paid. But rather than ask the owner, in front of a room full of the bid team, he waited till later on and quietly had a word with the CEO, who reimbursed him. That’s true customer service! (aAnd yes, the prospective client awarded them the contract!)
The second example comes from a PFI school, where one student was shouting at a member of the FM team ‘..and anyway, you’re only the caretaker!’ This was overhead by the FM and the Head teacher, who were on a site walkabout at the time. The Head called the student over and asked him, ‘Who is the most important person in this school?’. ‘You, Sir’, came the response. ‘No’, said the Head, and asked the question again. Eventually the Head pointed out that the caretaker was in fact the most important person – he was up at 5 o’clock every morning, opened the school and the gates, turned on the lights and heating, prepared the rooms and so on. The student went away, tail between his legs, having learned that everyone has a role to play. What makes the story so special is that the client, in this case the Head, understood the importance and value of FM and was prepared to ensure everyone else did too.
Do you have stories to share? Please get in touch with Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326
Friday, 4 November 2011
Stress? What stress?
I attended a great event this week – were you aware it was Stress Awareness Day? The event was run in conjunction with the Stress Management Society (www.stress.org.uk), and here is a snapshot of the key learning points.
What is stress? Have you found that we tend to relate stress to our emotions, and how it makes us feel? In fact, stress is actually a physical thing – it gets our heart beating faster, makes us sweat, heats our bodies up and so on.
We all know the ‘fight or flight’ scenario, and how our ancestors developed this response to enable their survival. It seems that these days, when we’re not often faced with man-eating animals, we’re getting stressed (ready to fight or flee) in situations where we can’t effectively use that response. This means that stress becomes counter-productive, and in these situations we need to find ways to either ‘lighten the load’ or give more support (coping strategies).
From a facilities management point of view, we’re particularly interested in risk management, because our organisations can be liable for putting increasing pressure onto individuals and teams. We should also be looking at how our workplaces can be more effective if we teach people how to cope with pressure. Dame Carol Black suggested that every £1 invested in wellbeing brings a return in productivity terms of between £3 and £6.
One of the main messages from the experts is that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. And, to use my own favourite saying, one I use often with my coaching clients:
‘Fit your own mask first before helping others’.
If you’d like to talk about how coaching can help your own work-life balance or stress management, please get in touch with Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk 07717 787077
What is stress? Have you found that we tend to relate stress to our emotions, and how it makes us feel? In fact, stress is actually a physical thing – it gets our heart beating faster, makes us sweat, heats our bodies up and so on.
We all know the ‘fight or flight’ scenario, and how our ancestors developed this response to enable their survival. It seems that these days, when we’re not often faced with man-eating animals, we’re getting stressed (ready to fight or flee) in situations where we can’t effectively use that response. This means that stress becomes counter-productive, and in these situations we need to find ways to either ‘lighten the load’ or give more support (coping strategies).
From a facilities management point of view, we’re particularly interested in risk management, because our organisations can be liable for putting increasing pressure onto individuals and teams. We should also be looking at how our workplaces can be more effective if we teach people how to cope with pressure. Dame Carol Black suggested that every £1 invested in wellbeing brings a return in productivity terms of between £3 and £6.
One of the main messages from the experts is that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. And, to use my own favourite saying, one I use often with my coaching clients:
‘Fit your own mask first before helping others’.
If you’d like to talk about how coaching can help your own work-life balance or stress management, please get in touch with Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk 07717 787077
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
One year to the Olympics - the countdown begins
On 6 July 2005, we knew that London would be hosting the 2012 Olympic games. I remember being in the car in Brentwood, Essex, with my husband when the news was announced, and I punched the air with a loud 'Yes!'.
This week marks the one year countdown, and look how far we've come! As with the games themselves, making it happen has taken dedication, clear goals, deadlines, and most of all, teamwork.
I think the role of LOCOG is similar to that of a facilities management team - co-ordinating a myriad of functions - construction, transport, ticketing, acommodation, tourism - and at the same time building and maintaining a profile (or brand) that all stakeholders will recognise.
What can you and your team learn from the preparation for the 2012 Olympics? I'd imagine you are pretty good at delivering services, working effectively with suppliers and clients. But what about the profile of FM? Are you a bit like LOCOG with their ticketing? Do people only talk about the FM team when things go wrong?
Here are my seven steps for raising the profile of your FM team:
1. Understand the strategic value of your FM service
2. Understand your organization’s strategy and business objectives
3. Align FM to these objectives
4. Gather evidence – performance data that tells your story
5. Create a ‘one team approach’ with your service partners
6. Know your audience
7. Use a common language to communicate
If you'd like a copy of my full white paper on the seven steps, please drop me a line.
Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call me on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
This week marks the one year countdown, and look how far we've come! As with the games themselves, making it happen has taken dedication, clear goals, deadlines, and most of all, teamwork.
I think the role of LOCOG is similar to that of a facilities management team - co-ordinating a myriad of functions - construction, transport, ticketing, acommodation, tourism - and at the same time building and maintaining a profile (or brand) that all stakeholders will recognise.
What can you and your team learn from the preparation for the 2012 Olympics? I'd imagine you are pretty good at delivering services, working effectively with suppliers and clients. But what about the profile of FM? Are you a bit like LOCOG with their ticketing? Do people only talk about the FM team when things go wrong?
Here are my seven steps for raising the profile of your FM team:
1. Understand the strategic value of your FM service
2. Understand your organization’s strategy and business objectives
3. Align FM to these objectives
4. Gather evidence – performance data that tells your story
5. Create a ‘one team approach’ with your service partners
6. Know your audience
7. Use a common language to communicate
If you'd like a copy of my full white paper on the seven steps, please drop me a line.
Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call me on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
Thursday, 21 July 2011
A little thank you goes a long way
I really want to share with you this email I received earlier this week...
"Dear Liz
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking your time to recognise two of the Front of House teams I work with here in London: Rio Tinto and Capita Symonds.
You might be unaware of this however my team at Rio Tinto was very excited when they were mentioned by you on Twitter a while ago. Your comments were very complimentary and your acknowledgement of their professional and friendly service really boosted the morale within the team. As we are very keen on celebrating success we also shared your “tweet” in our internal Portico newsletter in the month of June to further recognise the Rio Tinto team.
It is not until today I have realised that you also visited one of my teams at Capita Symonds for the “Women in FM” event a couple of weeks ago. You generously followed up by sending a “Thank you” note to the organiser and the reception team. Again, your comments were really complimentary and acknowledged the teams’ efforts. Your kind comments again had the same positive effect and really boosted the motivation within the team.
For any reception team in the city of London today, the expectations are very high from both visors and clients. The general rule is usually that “No news are good news” in regards to the Front of House service and if any feedback ever reaches the team, it is likely to be negative. This is particularly de-motivating considering the sheer volume of visitors, meetings and switchboard calls that are dealt with in an excellent manner on daily basis. This does my all means not mean that we don’t welcome and appreciate constructive feedback as it encourage us to work on a constructive solution to improve the existing service and prevent a similar scenario in the future.
Thank you again for your acknowledgment of my teams and their hard work; it really makes a difference to them and me.
Kind regards,
Peter
Peter Haman, Client Services Manager, Portico"
"Dear Liz
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking your time to recognise two of the Front of House teams I work with here in London: Rio Tinto and Capita Symonds.
You might be unaware of this however my team at Rio Tinto was very excited when they were mentioned by you on Twitter a while ago. Your comments were very complimentary and your acknowledgement of their professional and friendly service really boosted the morale within the team. As we are very keen on celebrating success we also shared your “tweet” in our internal Portico newsletter in the month of June to further recognise the Rio Tinto team.
It is not until today I have realised that you also visited one of my teams at Capita Symonds for the “Women in FM” event a couple of weeks ago. You generously followed up by sending a “Thank you” note to the organiser and the reception team. Again, your comments were really complimentary and acknowledged the teams’ efforts. Your kind comments again had the same positive effect and really boosted the motivation within the team.
For any reception team in the city of London today, the expectations are very high from both visors and clients. The general rule is usually that “No news are good news” in regards to the Front of House service and if any feedback ever reaches the team, it is likely to be negative. This is particularly de-motivating considering the sheer volume of visitors, meetings and switchboard calls that are dealt with in an excellent manner on daily basis. This does my all means not mean that we don’t welcome and appreciate constructive feedback as it encourage us to work on a constructive solution to improve the existing service and prevent a similar scenario in the future.
Thank you again for your acknowledgment of my teams and their hard work; it really makes a difference to them and me.
Kind regards,
Peter
Peter Haman, Client Services Manager, Portico"
Friday, 15 July 2011
Facilities Manager as Coach?
We should be clear about what is required of a manager when performing the role of coach in their organisation. Let's first look at all management activity of which there are three key areas.
Managing
Leading, and
Coaching
These three activities are complimentary and will help you achieve your business objectives, by enabling your team to perform at their best.
When you are leading, you create and share a vision of the future with the team and ensure their activities are consistent with that vision and making it happen.
When you are managing, you facilitate results by controlling the work of the team, by agreeing and measuring such things as client satisfaction, PPMs, budgets, timescales and so on.
When you are coaching, you support your team members in their learning, to enable them to develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to successfully deliver their job responsibilities and goals.
These three styles often overlap because some of the processes and skills that are used in one area are also key in another.
High performance is not achieved if the manager is not clear about which approach to use in a particular situation. For example, if you take a coaching approach when deadlines are tight or a crisis has arisen, time may be lost. If you take a management approach when one of your team has made a mistake, they may miss the chance to leanr from it.
Interested in coaching skills for yourself, or looking for some coaching support? Contact us now coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
Managing
Leading, and
Coaching
These three activities are complimentary and will help you achieve your business objectives, by enabling your team to perform at their best.
When you are leading, you create and share a vision of the future with the team and ensure their activities are consistent with that vision and making it happen.
When you are managing, you facilitate results by controlling the work of the team, by agreeing and measuring such things as client satisfaction, PPMs, budgets, timescales and so on.
When you are coaching, you support your team members in their learning, to enable them to develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to successfully deliver their job responsibilities and goals.
These three styles often overlap because some of the processes and skills that are used in one area are also key in another.
High performance is not achieved if the manager is not clear about which approach to use in a particular situation. For example, if you take a coaching approach when deadlines are tight or a crisis has arisen, time may be lost. If you take a management approach when one of your team has made a mistake, they may miss the chance to leanr from it.
Interested in coaching skills for yourself, or looking for some coaching support? Contact us now coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
How a small group can change the world
Last week I had a meeting in Leeds, and was delighted to be offered use of the meeting facilities at BNY Mellon. In their meeting room was a poster featuring Margaret Mead, and she was quoted as saying,
'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.'
This got me thinking about facilities management, and the numerous debates going on in the sector about 'professionalisation' and 'collaboration'. Rather than segmenting the sector into clients/individuals/service providers/consultants and so on, isn't it time we started pulling together to make our industry an even more attractive place to work, develop and create revenue?
We need to consider:
• How will we achieve our goal for the facilities management sector?
• What will help us?
• What will hold us back?
• How will we overcome difficulties?
• How will we share success?
• When do things need to be done?
• Who will be responsible?
• How will we review progress?
So, next time you meet with someone who maybe doesn't share the same views as you on moving FM forward, why not consider how you can work together?
'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.'
This got me thinking about facilities management, and the numerous debates going on in the sector about 'professionalisation' and 'collaboration'. Rather than segmenting the sector into clients/individuals/service providers/consultants and so on, isn't it time we started pulling together to make our industry an even more attractive place to work, develop and create revenue?
We need to consider:
• How will we achieve our goal for the facilities management sector?
• What will help us?
• What will hold us back?
• How will we overcome difficulties?
• How will we share success?
• When do things need to be done?
• Who will be responsible?
• How will we review progress?
So, next time you meet with someone who maybe doesn't share the same views as you on moving FM forward, why not consider how you can work together?
Friday, 17 June 2011
World FM Day - any plans?
With just under a week to go till World FM Day 2011, there are many events being planned.
Many of my FM clients and colleagues are holding their own in-house events, and I'd love to hear from anyone else doing this. Some of their ideas are focused on raising the profile of FM, and include:
A 'take the stairs' day - handing out pedometers to their staff and creating league tables - good for the health, good for reducing energy use!
A building quiz - covering areas such as energy consumption, coffee consumption, number of toilet rolls used in the building - a bit bizarre but again great for awareness.
Job swap - be FM for a day (they're hoping the CEO might take this role!)
There are of course national and regional events too, including our Women in FM event, more details here
Let us know your plans, email Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk, or add your comments below.
Happy World FM day, 23 June 2011.
Many of my FM clients and colleagues are holding their own in-house events, and I'd love to hear from anyone else doing this. Some of their ideas are focused on raising the profile of FM, and include:
A 'take the stairs' day - handing out pedometers to their staff and creating league tables - good for the health, good for reducing energy use!
A building quiz - covering areas such as energy consumption, coffee consumption, number of toilet rolls used in the building - a bit bizarre but again great for awareness.
Job swap - be FM for a day (they're hoping the CEO might take this role!)
There are of course national and regional events too, including our Women in FM event, more details here
Let us know your plans, email Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk, or add your comments below.
Happy World FM day, 23 June 2011.
Monday, 13 June 2011
Shall I be Mum?
Over the past few weeks the role of women in the workplace (and more specifically on the Board) has been in the news. Our recent Women in FM event with Dr Mirella Visser created a huge debate about what success really is - and many agreed it was not necessarily being in a 'senior' role.
Whatever your take on success, I want to share with you a recent conversation with a woman who does want to be appointed Board director. She has been frustrated at being passed over several times for promotion. Here's a shortened version of our conversation...
Me: What's in the tin?
Her: Cupcakes, I always bake them for the senior management meeting
Me: Who else does that?
Her: No-one else, but they're all men!
Me: (can you see where I'm going with this?) Tell me what happens in those meetings, from the time you get into the meeting room.
Her: We have coffee, the MD goes through the previous minutes...
Me: Let's back track - what happens with the coffee?
Her: (After a bit of digging), I usually say, 'shall I be Mum?' and pour the coffees
Me: How does that word 'Mum' define you to the people around you?
Her: Aha!
When we promote someone to be part of 'our' team, we want them to be like us - which is why good advice is 'dress for the next job you want' - it's about being a good 'fit'. By labelling ourselves, whether it's 'Shall I be Mum', 'Middle Manager', 'only an FM' or whatever, we are limiting ourselves through poor use of language.
If you want to be accepted, start acting 'as if'...as if you are already on the Board if that's what you're aiming for. Behave as they do, be one of the team.
I'd love to hear your thoughts...
Email Liz Kentish the FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call me on 01778 561326 - 07717 787077
Whatever your take on success, I want to share with you a recent conversation with a woman who does want to be appointed Board director. She has been frustrated at being passed over several times for promotion. Here's a shortened version of our conversation...
Me: What's in the tin?
Her: Cupcakes, I always bake them for the senior management meeting
Me: Who else does that?
Her: No-one else, but they're all men!
Me: (can you see where I'm going with this?) Tell me what happens in those meetings, from the time you get into the meeting room.
Her: We have coffee, the MD goes through the previous minutes...
Me: Let's back track - what happens with the coffee?
Her: (After a bit of digging), I usually say, 'shall I be Mum?' and pour the coffees
Me: How does that word 'Mum' define you to the people around you?
Her: Aha!
When we promote someone to be part of 'our' team, we want them to be like us - which is why good advice is 'dress for the next job you want' - it's about being a good 'fit'. By labelling ourselves, whether it's 'Shall I be Mum', 'Middle Manager', 'only an FM' or whatever, we are limiting ourselves through poor use of language.
If you want to be accepted, start acting 'as if'...as if you are already on the Board if that's what you're aiming for. Behave as they do, be one of the team.
I'd love to hear your thoughts...
Email Liz Kentish the FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call me on 01778 561326 - 07717 787077
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
A day at The Facilities Show
And what a day it was! I was the first speaker presenting at the Seminar Theatre, and my session on 'Engaging the Workforce' certainly started some debate afterwards. Two of my coaching clients were there too, and it gave us a chance to catch up on progress.
Debra Ward of Mitie Client Services ran two sessions, on The Profile of FM and Engaging the Room; Diana Kilmartin of Three shared her journey 'Engaging suppliers', and Steve Gladwin form Hochtief gave the audience pointers on 'Engaging the CEO'.
I had a list of people I know from Twitter who I hadn't yet met in person, and managed to meet all but one during the day. I also had a meeting with Heather Moses and Larry O'Brien from Planon, who I'm working with on a Webinar for June.
I also managed to meet up with the Asset Skills team and have agreed to run a Women in FM event with them next month, and have tentatively agreed to co-host a conference with a major UK university in 2012.
And my golden nugget from the day? Martin Brown, from Fairsnape, introduced me to QR Codes - if you work in FM and haven't come across them yet, you could be missing out!
All in all, a very busy yet very productive day - and a chance to see what's new in facilities management.
Did you get to The Facilities Show? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Post your comments below or contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call on 07717 787077
Debra Ward of Mitie Client Services ran two sessions, on The Profile of FM and Engaging the Room; Diana Kilmartin of Three shared her journey 'Engaging suppliers', and Steve Gladwin form Hochtief gave the audience pointers on 'Engaging the CEO'.
I had a list of people I know from Twitter who I hadn't yet met in person, and managed to meet all but one during the day. I also had a meeting with Heather Moses and Larry O'Brien from Planon, who I'm working with on a Webinar for June.
I also managed to meet up with the Asset Skills team and have agreed to run a Women in FM event with them next month, and have tentatively agreed to co-host a conference with a major UK university in 2012.
And my golden nugget from the day? Martin Brown, from Fairsnape, introduced me to QR Codes - if you work in FM and haven't come across them yet, you could be missing out!
All in all, a very busy yet very productive day - and a chance to see what's new in facilities management.
Did you get to The Facilities Show? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Post your comments below or contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call on 07717 787077
Thursday, 5 May 2011
How to create your niche in 6 easy steps
I was invited to speak at the Women’s Infrastructure Network’s second UK event yesterday, along with Christine Jones of Tigermouth (www.tigermouth.co.uk). My topic was ‘creating your niche’, and I shared my own journey in setting up a successful business, and gave tips for raising your own profile, whether you are starting a business or even job hunting.
Here are the six steps:
1. Who do I know?
2. Where are they?
3. What do I know?
4. What makes me unique?
5. What do those people I know trust me to do for them?
6. Where do I find more of these people?
1. Who do I know?
Consider:
• Current colleagues
• Previous colleagues
• Clients
• Suppliers
• People you have met at events
• Common groups
• Friends.
And make a list.
2. Where are they?
Now it’s time to go back through your list and note down which industry/sector each of those people work in. Identify where you know most people. For me, the 80:20 rule definitely applied, 80% of my existing network worked in the Built Environment sectors.
3. What do I know?Think about your CV – what would you highlight? You might like to build your own ‘asset register’, where you list all the skills and strengths you have.
4. What makes me unique?
This is where I started to ask those in my network – it was a bit scary, but they came up with things I hadn’t really considered, such as,
• ‘The expert in bringing people together’
• ‘She builds people’s confidence, makes them believe in themselves’
• ‘Takes time and listens’
• ‘Able to quickly understand the culture(s) of an organisation and gets under its skin’
• ‘Has that rare skill of taking people on a journey of change in a way that makes them feel a valued part of the process’
• ‘She’s well-known and well-respected in the sector’
• ‘She knows what challenges we face as leaders’
5. What do those people I know trust me to do for them?
Once again, time to be brave and ask those who work/have worked with you. You’ll be quite surprised. My list went like this:
• Be a trusted advisor and confidante to their leaders and future stars
• Create real transformation in their businesses, e.g. in bidding, service provision, people development
• Maintain confidentiality, yet be able to share best practice
• Keep them up to date with what’s happening in the sector
• Connect them with others – help them raise their profile
6. Where do I find more of these people?
I focused on two areas here, offline and online.
Offline
• Training courses
• Writing articles for trade publications
• Ask for introductions
• Industry events
Online
• LinkedIn (join relevant groups and start contributing)
• Twitter (share information that is useful to your followers)
• Blog and guest blogging
• Industry websites in your area of expertise – for me these were e.g. BSRIA, RICS, BIFM, FMA, CIOB, www.networkwithbifm.org.uk
• Create bespoke E-newsletters for your audience, like Let’s Talk FM.
Want to know more? Contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 07717 787077 – 01778 561326 or by email coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Here are the six steps:
1. Who do I know?
2. Where are they?
3. What do I know?
4. What makes me unique?
5. What do those people I know trust me to do for them?
6. Where do I find more of these people?
1. Who do I know?
Consider:
• Current colleagues
• Previous colleagues
• Clients
• Suppliers
• People you have met at events
• Common groups
• Friends.
And make a list.
2. Where are they?
Now it’s time to go back through your list and note down which industry/sector each of those people work in. Identify where you know most people. For me, the 80:20 rule definitely applied, 80% of my existing network worked in the Built Environment sectors.
3. What do I know?Think about your CV – what would you highlight? You might like to build your own ‘asset register’, where you list all the skills and strengths you have.
4. What makes me unique?
This is where I started to ask those in my network – it was a bit scary, but they came up with things I hadn’t really considered, such as,
• ‘The expert in bringing people together’
• ‘She builds people’s confidence, makes them believe in themselves’
• ‘Takes time and listens’
• ‘Able to quickly understand the culture(s) of an organisation and gets under its skin’
• ‘Has that rare skill of taking people on a journey of change in a way that makes them feel a valued part of the process’
• ‘She’s well-known and well-respected in the sector’
• ‘She knows what challenges we face as leaders’
5. What do those people I know trust me to do for them?
Once again, time to be brave and ask those who work/have worked with you. You’ll be quite surprised. My list went like this:
• Be a trusted advisor and confidante to their leaders and future stars
• Create real transformation in their businesses, e.g. in bidding, service provision, people development
• Maintain confidentiality, yet be able to share best practice
• Keep them up to date with what’s happening in the sector
• Connect them with others – help them raise their profile
6. Where do I find more of these people?
I focused on two areas here, offline and online.
Offline
• Training courses
• Writing articles for trade publications
• Ask for introductions
• Industry events
Online
• LinkedIn (join relevant groups and start contributing)
• Twitter (share information that is useful to your followers)
• Blog and guest blogging
• Industry websites in your area of expertise – for me these were e.g. BSRIA, RICS, BIFM, FMA, CIOB, www.networkwithbifm.org.uk
• Create bespoke E-newsletters for your audience, like Let’s Talk FM.
Want to know more? Contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 07717 787077 – 01778 561326 or by email coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Friday, 8 April 2011
Th!nk FM - my take on this week's conference
Feeling inspired by Neil Usher's poetry at Th!nk FM, I've decided to throw caution to the wind and take some of my own advice about stepping out of my comfort zone. So, here is my feedback...
‘To Nottingham’, came the cry,
‘Men in tights?’ wondered I.
Robin Hood wasn’t there,
nor his lady fair.
But instead greater heroes -
Our FMs.
No economics since school,
But Professor Joe made it cool.
A positive start
set our conference apart
For those who had gathered -
Our FMs.
Four parallel streams
Worked like a dream.
The choices were mine
How to manage my time.
And who to spend time with -
Our FMs
Newcomers we’d meet
had learned how to ‘tweet’!
Chris Moon inspired
A happy but tired
profession I’m proud of -
Our FMs.
‘To Nottingham’, came the cry,
‘Men in tights?’ wondered I.
Robin Hood wasn’t there,
nor his lady fair.
But instead greater heroes -
Our FMs.
No economics since school,
But Professor Joe made it cool.
A positive start
set our conference apart
For those who had gathered -
Our FMs.
Four parallel streams
Worked like a dream.
The choices were mine
How to manage my time.
And who to spend time with -
Our FMs
Newcomers we’d meet
had learned how to ‘tweet’!
Chris Moon inspired
A happy but tired
profession I’m proud of -
Our FMs.
A vending solution for all seasons
Whether you are responsible for a single site, or multiple locations, having happy customers is the ultimate goal for any FM. Not only does it make for a quieter life, but it also gives reassurance that supplier services are delivering effectively.
Ensuring that the basic needs of employees and customers are met is a core part of that – providing a comfortable environment which includes a wide range of quality drinks and snacks to help keep people satisfied, on-track and motivated.
A research study has shown that 43% of employees say hot beverages specifically have a positive impact on their productivity, with 39% saying hot beverages help them to concentrate.
But it’s not as easy as just saying “let’s get a new coffee machine” and the perfect solution lands at your door. Further research has shown that 76% of decision makers believe there is a positive impact on morale based on the choice of an individual coffee system. Identifying the right solution to meet the needs of your organisation is essential, but can be a daunting task. It takes time, effort and budget – not always the simplest thing to achieve in a busy working day.
Even if a simple coffee machine is required, there are a variety of options available ranging from Bean 2 Cup where the beans are ground just before brewing, through to Pod solutions that provide a neat packaged solution. But a solution that satisfies more than just a drinks requirement can address a number of concerns all in one go.
Vending machines can be an effective option. Offering a readily available source of snacks and drinks, they can be introduced with the benefit of relatively low overheads. It also means out of hours areas are always catered for, which is beneficial where shift work is common or large sites require multiple machines.
If you feel in need of support when it comes to researching the best office vending machines to suit your customer needs, as well as for the installation and ongoing maintenance, it’s worth looking for companies that offer a fully managed service.
This service provides a one-stop-shop approach, as well as an additional level of consultancy. This ensures you get the vending requirements and support you need to deliver and maintain the best vending solution available for your environment.
So how do you know which suppliers will offer the best service? The key areas to look for are:
Reliability – effective account management and ongoing support
Efficiency – energy efficient machines saves money and supports sustainability goals of organisations
Service levels – having specific objectives in place that can be measured ensures all parties are clear about their roles and what success looks like.
It’s important to look for companies that are open about their products and services and are willing to commit to targets and availability in terms of customer service.
Selecting a vending machines provider that works with well-known and trusted brands also means you can be sure your customers will be able to enjoy consistently good quality drinks and snacks whenever they want them, leaving you to focus on your day job.
With thanks to thebluedoor and Mars Drinks for this guest blog.
Mars Drinks (marsdrinks.com) is a segment of Mars, Incorporated, a private, family-owned company founded in 1911 and employing 70,000 associates in 67 countries worldwide. The Mars Drinks brand of KLIX vending machines offers a fully managed service offering a single point of contact for all your drinks and snacks requirements working in conjunction with Mars Chocolate and Coca-Cola Enterprises.
Ensuring that the basic needs of employees and customers are met is a core part of that – providing a comfortable environment which includes a wide range of quality drinks and snacks to help keep people satisfied, on-track and motivated.
A research study has shown that 43% of employees say hot beverages specifically have a positive impact on their productivity, with 39% saying hot beverages help them to concentrate.
But it’s not as easy as just saying “let’s get a new coffee machine” and the perfect solution lands at your door. Further research has shown that 76% of decision makers believe there is a positive impact on morale based on the choice of an individual coffee system. Identifying the right solution to meet the needs of your organisation is essential, but can be a daunting task. It takes time, effort and budget – not always the simplest thing to achieve in a busy working day.
Even if a simple coffee machine is required, there are a variety of options available ranging from Bean 2 Cup where the beans are ground just before brewing, through to Pod solutions that provide a neat packaged solution. But a solution that satisfies more than just a drinks requirement can address a number of concerns all in one go.
Vending machines can be an effective option. Offering a readily available source of snacks and drinks, they can be introduced with the benefit of relatively low overheads. It also means out of hours areas are always catered for, which is beneficial where shift work is common or large sites require multiple machines.
If you feel in need of support when it comes to researching the best office vending machines to suit your customer needs, as well as for the installation and ongoing maintenance, it’s worth looking for companies that offer a fully managed service.
This service provides a one-stop-shop approach, as well as an additional level of consultancy. This ensures you get the vending requirements and support you need to deliver and maintain the best vending solution available for your environment.
So how do you know which suppliers will offer the best service? The key areas to look for are:
Reliability – effective account management and ongoing support
Efficiency – energy efficient machines saves money and supports sustainability goals of organisations
Service levels – having specific objectives in place that can be measured ensures all parties are clear about their roles and what success looks like.
It’s important to look for companies that are open about their products and services and are willing to commit to targets and availability in terms of customer service.
Selecting a vending machines provider that works with well-known and trusted brands also means you can be sure your customers will be able to enjoy consistently good quality drinks and snacks whenever they want them, leaving you to focus on your day job.
With thanks to thebluedoor and Mars Drinks for this guest blog.
Mars Drinks (marsdrinks.com) is a segment of Mars, Incorporated, a private, family-owned company founded in 1911 and employing 70,000 associates in 67 countries worldwide. The Mars Drinks brand of KLIX vending machines offers a fully managed service offering a single point of contact for all your drinks and snacks requirements working in conjunction with Mars Chocolate and Coca-Cola Enterprises.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Is being an FM like being a politician?
I was lucky enough to be invited to the first Bee Craft dinner at the Wax Chandler’s Guild yesterday, where the after dinner speaker was Lord Hattersley. He spoke about his career in both politics and literature.
What particularly caught my attention was the distinction he made between today’s ‘career politicians’ and those of yesteryear, who had worked in industry, been in the forces and so on, moving into politics later on, because they genuinely wanted to make a difference.
I’ve never met anyone yet who works in facilities management who genuinely planned to be in FM when they grew up – so many of us ‘fell into’ FM from other sectors. So my question to you is, is this a good thing? Are we like the politicians of the past, who bring their experience of the commercial world to the House of Commons? Should we promote FM as a second career?
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts – comment below or email Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Listen...do you want to know a secret?
Did you know there are three levels of listening? I wonder if we listen actively enough to the people we have conversations with? Which of these do you practice most often?
Level 1
It’s like being at a party, where you hear that background noise but don’t really tune in. That is, until you hear one word – your name! Part of our brain kicks in when something is important to us, and our name certainly is. It’s the same thing that happens when we buy a new car, a new jacket and so on. We haven’t seen one of those for ages, and as soon as we’ve bought one, we see them everywhere. So level 1 listening – no thanks.
Level 2
This is the type of listening that goes on most days in the workplace – where we focus on the words someone is speaking – and sometimes (often?) we are even formulating our response while they are still speaking. By focusing on the words, we could be missing a vital message, which brings us to level 3.
Level 3
This is where we focus not only on the words – what is being said – but also on what is not being said, and this means the tone of voice and body language. There’s a great line in the ‘rainbow ‘ song that goes, ‘listen with your eyes..’, and that’s what we need to do. So often we can get the true meaning in communication from everything but the words. You know, when your other half asks what’s wrong and you say ‘nothing’ in a defensive tone of voice and your body language is closed too. They know that it’s certainly not nothing!
So, let’s aim for level 3 – pay close attention not just to the words, but to the tone of voice and all those non-verbal messages contained in the body language.
Want to know more about effective communication skills training for your teams? Contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
Level 1
It’s like being at a party, where you hear that background noise but don’t really tune in. That is, until you hear one word – your name! Part of our brain kicks in when something is important to us, and our name certainly is. It’s the same thing that happens when we buy a new car, a new jacket and so on. We haven’t seen one of those for ages, and as soon as we’ve bought one, we see them everywhere. So level 1 listening – no thanks.
Level 2
This is the type of listening that goes on most days in the workplace – where we focus on the words someone is speaking – and sometimes (often?) we are even formulating our response while they are still speaking. By focusing on the words, we could be missing a vital message, which brings us to level 3.
Level 3
This is where we focus not only on the words – what is being said – but also on what is not being said, and this means the tone of voice and body language. There’s a great line in the ‘rainbow ‘ song that goes, ‘listen with your eyes..’, and that’s what we need to do. So often we can get the true meaning in communication from everything but the words. You know, when your other half asks what’s wrong and you say ‘nothing’ in a defensive tone of voice and your body language is closed too. They know that it’s certainly not nothing!
So, let’s aim for level 3 – pay close attention not just to the words, but to the tone of voice and all those non-verbal messages contained in the body language.
Want to know more about effective communication skills training for your teams? Contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Sustainability applies to people too!
Liz Kentish The FM Coach talks to FM World about how sustainability applies to people as well as buildings. What are you doing to support your teams in facilities management?
Watch the video here
Watch the video here
Monday, 7 February 2011
Tough talk
As a manager and leader, you will at times need to give constructive feedback to your staff. It’s never easy, but don’t bury your head in the sand. If you get it right, you not only get your message across, but you’ll build a tighter and higher performing team.
In my work as the FM Coach, I often help people with this specific issue and in this article you can read my top tips to guide you through these tough conversations.
What not to do
Some people believe in the ‘praise sandwich’ – praise the individual, then cover the area you need them to improve in, then finish with another piece of praise. My view is, keep things simple and keep things separate. If there’s a performance issue, focus on that. If you want to give praise, do that at a different time. Don’t muddy the waters – after all, if someone is giving you some feedback on an issue they have with your performance, you’re likely to either forget any praise that came with it, or focus on the praise and ignore the more constructive stuff!
Be prepared
Although feedback is most effective when given as soon as possible after the behaviour has occurred, you should avoid ‘shoot from the lip’ feedback. Take some time to prepare, gather your facts and specific examples, and be sure to give feedback before the situation occurs again.
Ask them
Set the scene, highlight the topic you want to cover, then ask them what they think. It is more effective to allow the person to voice their own opinions before providing your own assessment of their performance. Most people are well aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and this could help ease into a useful discussion.
Be specific
Vague feedback doesn’t give the person anything to work on. Consider the ‘who, what, where, when, how and why’ questions before you launch into your feedback.
Don’t say: “You’re no good at building client relationships’.
Instead say: “When you were talking to Mr X the senior partner this morning, I noticed that you answered a call on your mobile phone.”
Focus on facts
Make it personal and you’ll lose credibility. Constructive feedback is not criticism and in particular it’s not about the person. It is about their behaviour and/or performance. One of our needs as human beings is to belong, and if we feel we are being criticised for who we are, as opposed to what we do, we can feel the connection with our colleagues is broken. For some people, this can be very destructive.
Ditch the Dump Truck
People can change 1 thing, not 12, so limit your feedback to one point. Besides, as a manager and leader of people, you should never be ‘saving things up’ for an annual performance review or other meeting. Tackle issues as they arise, one at a time.
Refuse to dance
Don’t return emotion with emotion. Some people will feel affronted by any type of perceived criticism and may react angrily. Allow them plenty of time to take in what you’re saying and ask questions if they need you to clarify things.
Agree a way forward
You may want to ask if they can suggest actions that would help build on their skills in this particular area. Let them take responsibility for coming up with the actions to move forward – they are far more likely to make progress if it’s their own solution. It’s important at this stage to agree when the steps will be accomplished.
Summarising
It’s useful if you summarise the output of the feedback session and any agreed actions, to ensure that you have heard correctly and understood things from their perspective.
Any thoughts? Want to share what works for you and your team? Send your input to Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
A version of this article appeared in FMX Magazine.
In my work as the FM Coach, I often help people with this specific issue and in this article you can read my top tips to guide you through these tough conversations.
What not to do
Some people believe in the ‘praise sandwich’ – praise the individual, then cover the area you need them to improve in, then finish with another piece of praise. My view is, keep things simple and keep things separate. If there’s a performance issue, focus on that. If you want to give praise, do that at a different time. Don’t muddy the waters – after all, if someone is giving you some feedback on an issue they have with your performance, you’re likely to either forget any praise that came with it, or focus on the praise and ignore the more constructive stuff!
Be prepared
Although feedback is most effective when given as soon as possible after the behaviour has occurred, you should avoid ‘shoot from the lip’ feedback. Take some time to prepare, gather your facts and specific examples, and be sure to give feedback before the situation occurs again.
Ask them
Set the scene, highlight the topic you want to cover, then ask them what they think. It is more effective to allow the person to voice their own opinions before providing your own assessment of their performance. Most people are well aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and this could help ease into a useful discussion.
Be specific
Vague feedback doesn’t give the person anything to work on. Consider the ‘who, what, where, when, how and why’ questions before you launch into your feedback.
Don’t say: “You’re no good at building client relationships’.
Instead say: “When you were talking to Mr X the senior partner this morning, I noticed that you answered a call on your mobile phone.”
Focus on facts
Make it personal and you’ll lose credibility. Constructive feedback is not criticism and in particular it’s not about the person. It is about their behaviour and/or performance. One of our needs as human beings is to belong, and if we feel we are being criticised for who we are, as opposed to what we do, we can feel the connection with our colleagues is broken. For some people, this can be very destructive.
Ditch the Dump Truck
People can change 1 thing, not 12, so limit your feedback to one point. Besides, as a manager and leader of people, you should never be ‘saving things up’ for an annual performance review or other meeting. Tackle issues as they arise, one at a time.
Refuse to dance
Don’t return emotion with emotion. Some people will feel affronted by any type of perceived criticism and may react angrily. Allow them plenty of time to take in what you’re saying and ask questions if they need you to clarify things.
Agree a way forward
You may want to ask if they can suggest actions that would help build on their skills in this particular area. Let them take responsibility for coming up with the actions to move forward – they are far more likely to make progress if it’s their own solution. It’s important at this stage to agree when the steps will be accomplished.
Summarising
It’s useful if you summarise the output of the feedback session and any agreed actions, to ensure that you have heard correctly and understood things from their perspective.
Any thoughts? Want to share what works for you and your team? Send your input to Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
A version of this article appeared in FMX Magazine.
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
The Hunt is On
I've just launched a new eBook The Hunt is On, essential reading for anyone looking for a new job in FM. In eight short chapters, I'll show you how to work out your ideal career, find the ideal employer, plan your job hunt, explain how to get the most out of networking, brand yourself, write a great CV, walk you through the interview process and give you top tips on how to make a great start in that new role, once you land it.
You can download your copy here
You can download your copy here
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Five top FM recruitment consultants give their views on the current FM job market
If your new year's resolution is to make that next great career move, or if you're planning to hire new talent into your team, then this newsletter is for you. Here, five top FM recruitment consultants give us their views on the current FM job market.
We asked five key questions:
1) How do you see the FM recruitment market at the moment?
2) What new roles do you see being created in the FM industry?
3) Where do you find most of your candidates?
4) What top piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about changing roles?
5) Why is it still beneficial to use recruitment agencies to find the top candidates?
How do you see the FM recruitment market at the moment?
Alex Sutherland, FM Property Recruitment Network: "There are still a lot of nerves out there. Companies are still nervous about taking too many people on and candidates are still worried about jumping ship. On the whole the activity has picked up and there is a lot more recruitment going on. 2011 will continue to push on and regardless of the expected 'double dip.' I can see the FM recruitment market being very buoyant in the coming year."
Ashleigh Brown, Dovetail FM Recruitment: "FM Recruitment was really tough in 2010, but I am definitely seeing a slight recovery and hope that this continues through 2011 and gets stronger and stronger. It is tough for a lot of people at the moment with so many candidates looking for a new role and jobs are often attracting over 100 applicants. Many candidates are failing to impress with badly written CV's and a lack of attention to the role they are applying for. Companies are being more specific on the types of people they want to employ and the selection process is favouring candidates with a positive and flexible attitude who are commercially aware as well as operationally strong."
Simon Aspinall, Catch 22: "It's probably fair to say that the market is challenging at the moment. The good news is that we are certainly noticing an increase in business levels on the permanent side v 09/10 - we anticipate this marks the bottom of the cycle and the waves of activity we are experiencing will soon lead to more steady growth."
Nikki Dallas, Talent FM: "We are definitely seeing very strong signs of recovery, there is a lot of confidence in the market at the moment and we have received some exciting instructions for this year. There is still some way to go before we can claim the recovery is complete, however we feel that the outlook for 2011 is very positive indeed."
Alison Halfpenny, Humanics: "The market is interesting at the moment and has changed considerably since I started recruiting some 14 years ago. There are a high number of candidates on the market, many at a senior level, but not, it would appear enough visible opportunities to apply for. Clients are approaching recruitment differently, many of them doing as much of it themselves, moving away from retained assignments and asking a number of agencies / consultancies to all look for the same type of person for them. There is a lot of networking and word of mouth referrals happening. In summary it is hard work, more competitive and challenging."
What new roles do you see being created in the FM industry?
Ashleigh Brown: "I see more business development roles within FM coming up, as companies rally to solidify their place in a slowly recovering market."
Simon Aspinall: "We are seeing more environmental, energy and compliance roles."
Nikki Dallas: "A lot more customer service skills requirements within a wide variety of traditional FM roles. Clients are willing to consider candidates from hospitality, airline and other related industries in their search for the best talent to ensure exemplary FM delivery."
Alison Halfpenny: "Most recently I had a request for an individual with very strong networking / door opening skills who could just simply create the opportunity for further business discussion. Otherwise the need for business orientated individuals continues."
Alex Sutherland: "At the moment 75% of our entire business is focused around business development professionals. Pretty much all of our major clients are recruiting very heavily at the front end of their businesses. Business Development Managers, Estimators, Bid Managers - there is a real need for them at present. This is a very positive sign as it shows the companies are looking to push on and win new work. This has now been going on for a number of months and as a result the boom of operational vacancies should follow in the coming months.
Where do you find most of your candidates?
Simon Aspinall: "The two main sources of the best candidates are through word of mouth recommendation and via our own network of contacts. Increasingly, the recruitment industry is using online professional and social media but it is still vital to have a good relationship between consultant and candidate and that can only be achieved by really getting to know your candidates."
Nikki Dallas: "Through recommendations and our extensive network, gleaned from 13 years in the industry. For our international roles we have an additional research resource. Social media is becoming increasingly relevant for sourcing quality candidates."
Alison Halfpenny: The majority of candidates come via networking and seeking referrals from known contacts. In some instances we have used the internet to advertise roles and on occasion we have made use of our research facility.
Alex Sutherland: "The majority of our candidates come through networking and referrals. Sites like LinkedIn have proved invaluable in the past couple of years. If we don't find candidates directly on there we are generally given names by the people we do find. We still place adverts, and get a phenomenal response, the problem we have is that 90% of the applicants are unsuitable for the role. The other way we find our candidates is by directly head-hunting them, LinkedIn also plays a large part in this process."
Ashleigh Brown: "Most of the candidates I am finding are coming from networking through the BIFM and IFMA and my own database collected over the last 11 years working within the industry."
What top piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about changing roles?
Nikki Dallas: "Make sure that your CV is the very best that it can be and that it sells you into the role that you are applying for. In a candidate competitive market your CV should be your 'sales brochure' and too many well qualified candidates don't do themselves justice in this department. You must communicate your achievements, your industry relevance and your suitability for the role. Your recruitment consultant should be able to guide you in this respect but there is also a wealth of information on the web. Use it!"
Alison Halfpenny: "Carefully consider why you want to move in the first instance. Next be sure your CV is up-to-date, to the point, accurate and interesting, be well prepared for interview and undertake enough due diligence on your potential new employer to be really comfortable before accepting an offer."
Alex Sutherland: "At the moment the market is very candidate rich. This has a number of effects on the market. Two years ago a company would give us a list of ten boxes that a successful applicant would need to tick. Back then if we were able to tick seven or eight of them we were on to a winner. Now that there are so many candidates actively in the market there are always a good number of applicants that tick all of the boxes. This basically means that if you are going for a job that is slightly different from your current role you are at a major disadvantage. If you work in business development for example and are keen to get back into an operational role then now is not the right time. Companies have the luxury of being extremely choosy when deciding who to bring forward for interview. My main piece of advice around this is to tailor your CV to the role you are applying for. Do not fabricate any achievements but really pick out the points that are relevant to the role and elaborate on them."
Ashleigh Brown: "If you want to change your job but stay within the same type of role, just with a different company, then this is going to be far easier for you at the moment. Where it gets difficult is if you are trying to completely change your role from one thing to another where you have little or no experience. This is because you will be competing in a candidate-rich environment against other people who have been made redundant with the skills you might be lacking, so you will have to do a really good job of motivating your reason for the change and your suitability. But also do not get despondent if trying to make a career change at the moment - patience, perseverance and a positive attitude will win out."
Simon Aspinall: "First of all it is important to understand why a person is thinking about changing roles (career development, lifestyle change, money, stale etc) then research and plan accordingly based on your aspirations and expectations of the new role."
Why is it still beneficial to use recruitment agencies to find the top candidates?
Alison Halfpenny: "There is a strong possibility that the agencies / consultancies will have access to people that the client does not. Recruiting well and for the right people takes time and commitment and that is what we do on a daily basis without the worry of running the day to day business, as the client does. We can keep the project discreet if required, and if well briefed we will sell the opportunity appropriately on the client's behalf. We take away the pain of the process."
Alex Sutherland: "Top candidates are generally good at what they do. As a result they are generally paid well, are happy in their job and are not actively looking for another opportunity. They will not be looking at job adverts or talking to agencies as finding a new job is really not something that is on their mind. That is where we come in!
"Every day we are constantly learning about the market, making new contacts, obtaining information on companies, finding out who does what and how well they do it. Armed with this information we are able to target specific people who we would class as 'top candidates'. We can present them with opportunities, get an understanding of what would make them move and match their needs with the opportunities we have.
"Don't get me wrong not all top candidates need to be head-hunted, sometimes we can get lucky with and advert or a referral, but the majority of them do. This process can be quite lengthy and, if done correctly, is quite a skill. We are able to target the top 10% of the market most employers do not have access to.
"We are not saying that we are the only people who can do this, but we do it on a daily basis so what we can do is save you time, save you money and ultimately give you piece of mind."
Ashleigh Brown: "One of the best reasons for continuing to use agencies for your recruitment would be that they cut out all the hard and time consuming work. They will only send you the best of all the applicants to review/interview. Good recruiters also network a lot within the industry and thus have access to a wide range of skill sets, which could prove very useful for some of the more challenging positions that you might have. It also pays to use industry specific recruiters to fill your requirements within FM as many of the generalist agencies do not understand FM at all."
Simon Aspinall: "Not just still but more than ever! However, to make it work the client and recruitment agency need to work closely together so that the agency understands not just the role itself but also the structure, culture and strategy of the wider business and client takes appropriate advice from agency. It is probably true that more clients are attempting to recruit directly by using the easily accessible and wide variety of online tools, but that method can prove to be quite onerous and time consuming without necessarily identifying the best candidates."
"It is a competitive market so using a specialist agency where the consultants and researchers are highly experienced and knowledgeable in both the recruitment process and the industries covered is essential. Also, often the most suitable talent is not actively seeking a new role and this is where the agency can use their knowledge and experience to search and select the very best candidates to present to their client."
Nikki Dallas: "A good recruitment consultant who is an expert in their field will save you time and money by finding you the right talent for your business, first time. Identifying and engaging talent can be time consuming, costly and can have disastrous effects if you don't get it right. Employers often underestimate how effective a resource agencies can be in positively marketing your business in the industry."
Contact our panel
Alex Sutherland, Director
FM Property Recruitment Network
Tel: 0121 450 5115 / Mobile: 07960 872387
Email: alex@fmpropertyrecruitment.co.uk
www.fmpropertyrecruitment.co.uk
Ashleigh Brown, Senior FM Account Manager
Dovetail FM Recruitmen
Tel: 01635 43100
Email: ash@fm-recruitment.co.uk
www.fm-recruitment.co.uk
Simon Aspinall, Director
Catch 22
Tel: 0113 242 8077 / Mobile: 07976 156351
Email: simonaspinall@c22.co.uk
www.c22.co.uk
Nikki Dallas, Director
Talent FM
Tel: 0844 880 2426
Email: nikki@talentfm.co.uk
www.talentfm.co.uk
Alison Halfpenny, Director
Humanics
Tel: 07810 011896
Email: alisonh@humanics.co.uk
www.humanics.co.uk
If you enjoyed this blog, and you’d like to hear expert opinion on any other aspect of FM, drop me a line with your suggestions at coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
We asked five key questions:
1) How do you see the FM recruitment market at the moment?
2) What new roles do you see being created in the FM industry?
3) Where do you find most of your candidates?
4) What top piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about changing roles?
5) Why is it still beneficial to use recruitment agencies to find the top candidates?
How do you see the FM recruitment market at the moment?
Alex Sutherland, FM Property Recruitment Network: "There are still a lot of nerves out there. Companies are still nervous about taking too many people on and candidates are still worried about jumping ship. On the whole the activity has picked up and there is a lot more recruitment going on. 2011 will continue to push on and regardless of the expected 'double dip.' I can see the FM recruitment market being very buoyant in the coming year."
Ashleigh Brown, Dovetail FM Recruitment: "FM Recruitment was really tough in 2010, but I am definitely seeing a slight recovery and hope that this continues through 2011 and gets stronger and stronger. It is tough for a lot of people at the moment with so many candidates looking for a new role and jobs are often attracting over 100 applicants. Many candidates are failing to impress with badly written CV's and a lack of attention to the role they are applying for. Companies are being more specific on the types of people they want to employ and the selection process is favouring candidates with a positive and flexible attitude who are commercially aware as well as operationally strong."
Simon Aspinall, Catch 22: "It's probably fair to say that the market is challenging at the moment. The good news is that we are certainly noticing an increase in business levels on the permanent side v 09/10 - we anticipate this marks the bottom of the cycle and the waves of activity we are experiencing will soon lead to more steady growth."
Nikki Dallas, Talent FM: "We are definitely seeing very strong signs of recovery, there is a lot of confidence in the market at the moment and we have received some exciting instructions for this year. There is still some way to go before we can claim the recovery is complete, however we feel that the outlook for 2011 is very positive indeed."
Alison Halfpenny, Humanics: "The market is interesting at the moment and has changed considerably since I started recruiting some 14 years ago. There are a high number of candidates on the market, many at a senior level, but not, it would appear enough visible opportunities to apply for. Clients are approaching recruitment differently, many of them doing as much of it themselves, moving away from retained assignments and asking a number of agencies / consultancies to all look for the same type of person for them. There is a lot of networking and word of mouth referrals happening. In summary it is hard work, more competitive and challenging."
What new roles do you see being created in the FM industry?
Ashleigh Brown: "I see more business development roles within FM coming up, as companies rally to solidify their place in a slowly recovering market."
Simon Aspinall: "We are seeing more environmental, energy and compliance roles."
Nikki Dallas: "A lot more customer service skills requirements within a wide variety of traditional FM roles. Clients are willing to consider candidates from hospitality, airline and other related industries in their search for the best talent to ensure exemplary FM delivery."
Alison Halfpenny: "Most recently I had a request for an individual with very strong networking / door opening skills who could just simply create the opportunity for further business discussion. Otherwise the need for business orientated individuals continues."
Alex Sutherland: "At the moment 75% of our entire business is focused around business development professionals. Pretty much all of our major clients are recruiting very heavily at the front end of their businesses. Business Development Managers, Estimators, Bid Managers - there is a real need for them at present. This is a very positive sign as it shows the companies are looking to push on and win new work. This has now been going on for a number of months and as a result the boom of operational vacancies should follow in the coming months.
Where do you find most of your candidates?
Simon Aspinall: "The two main sources of the best candidates are through word of mouth recommendation and via our own network of contacts. Increasingly, the recruitment industry is using online professional and social media but it is still vital to have a good relationship between consultant and candidate and that can only be achieved by really getting to know your candidates."
Nikki Dallas: "Through recommendations and our extensive network, gleaned from 13 years in the industry. For our international roles we have an additional research resource. Social media is becoming increasingly relevant for sourcing quality candidates."
Alison Halfpenny: The majority of candidates come via networking and seeking referrals from known contacts. In some instances we have used the internet to advertise roles and on occasion we have made use of our research facility.
Alex Sutherland: "The majority of our candidates come through networking and referrals. Sites like LinkedIn have proved invaluable in the past couple of years. If we don't find candidates directly on there we are generally given names by the people we do find. We still place adverts, and get a phenomenal response, the problem we have is that 90% of the applicants are unsuitable for the role. The other way we find our candidates is by directly head-hunting them, LinkedIn also plays a large part in this process."
Ashleigh Brown: "Most of the candidates I am finding are coming from networking through the BIFM and IFMA and my own database collected over the last 11 years working within the industry."
What top piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about changing roles?
Nikki Dallas: "Make sure that your CV is the very best that it can be and that it sells you into the role that you are applying for. In a candidate competitive market your CV should be your 'sales brochure' and too many well qualified candidates don't do themselves justice in this department. You must communicate your achievements, your industry relevance and your suitability for the role. Your recruitment consultant should be able to guide you in this respect but there is also a wealth of information on the web. Use it!"
Alison Halfpenny: "Carefully consider why you want to move in the first instance. Next be sure your CV is up-to-date, to the point, accurate and interesting, be well prepared for interview and undertake enough due diligence on your potential new employer to be really comfortable before accepting an offer."
Alex Sutherland: "At the moment the market is very candidate rich. This has a number of effects on the market. Two years ago a company would give us a list of ten boxes that a successful applicant would need to tick. Back then if we were able to tick seven or eight of them we were on to a winner. Now that there are so many candidates actively in the market there are always a good number of applicants that tick all of the boxes. This basically means that if you are going for a job that is slightly different from your current role you are at a major disadvantage. If you work in business development for example and are keen to get back into an operational role then now is not the right time. Companies have the luxury of being extremely choosy when deciding who to bring forward for interview. My main piece of advice around this is to tailor your CV to the role you are applying for. Do not fabricate any achievements but really pick out the points that are relevant to the role and elaborate on them."
Ashleigh Brown: "If you want to change your job but stay within the same type of role, just with a different company, then this is going to be far easier for you at the moment. Where it gets difficult is if you are trying to completely change your role from one thing to another where you have little or no experience. This is because you will be competing in a candidate-rich environment against other people who have been made redundant with the skills you might be lacking, so you will have to do a really good job of motivating your reason for the change and your suitability. But also do not get despondent if trying to make a career change at the moment - patience, perseverance and a positive attitude will win out."
Simon Aspinall: "First of all it is important to understand why a person is thinking about changing roles (career development, lifestyle change, money, stale etc) then research and plan accordingly based on your aspirations and expectations of the new role."
Why is it still beneficial to use recruitment agencies to find the top candidates?
Alison Halfpenny: "There is a strong possibility that the agencies / consultancies will have access to people that the client does not. Recruiting well and for the right people takes time and commitment and that is what we do on a daily basis without the worry of running the day to day business, as the client does. We can keep the project discreet if required, and if well briefed we will sell the opportunity appropriately on the client's behalf. We take away the pain of the process."
Alex Sutherland: "Top candidates are generally good at what they do. As a result they are generally paid well, are happy in their job and are not actively looking for another opportunity. They will not be looking at job adverts or talking to agencies as finding a new job is really not something that is on their mind. That is where we come in!
"Every day we are constantly learning about the market, making new contacts, obtaining information on companies, finding out who does what and how well they do it. Armed with this information we are able to target specific people who we would class as 'top candidates'. We can present them with opportunities, get an understanding of what would make them move and match their needs with the opportunities we have.
"Don't get me wrong not all top candidates need to be head-hunted, sometimes we can get lucky with and advert or a referral, but the majority of them do. This process can be quite lengthy and, if done correctly, is quite a skill. We are able to target the top 10% of the market most employers do not have access to.
"We are not saying that we are the only people who can do this, but we do it on a daily basis so what we can do is save you time, save you money and ultimately give you piece of mind."
Ashleigh Brown: "One of the best reasons for continuing to use agencies for your recruitment would be that they cut out all the hard and time consuming work. They will only send you the best of all the applicants to review/interview. Good recruiters also network a lot within the industry and thus have access to a wide range of skill sets, which could prove very useful for some of the more challenging positions that you might have. It also pays to use industry specific recruiters to fill your requirements within FM as many of the generalist agencies do not understand FM at all."
Simon Aspinall: "Not just still but more than ever! However, to make it work the client and recruitment agency need to work closely together so that the agency understands not just the role itself but also the structure, culture and strategy of the wider business and client takes appropriate advice from agency. It is probably true that more clients are attempting to recruit directly by using the easily accessible and wide variety of online tools, but that method can prove to be quite onerous and time consuming without necessarily identifying the best candidates."
"It is a competitive market so using a specialist agency where the consultants and researchers are highly experienced and knowledgeable in both the recruitment process and the industries covered is essential. Also, often the most suitable talent is not actively seeking a new role and this is where the agency can use their knowledge and experience to search and select the very best candidates to present to their client."
Nikki Dallas: "A good recruitment consultant who is an expert in their field will save you time and money by finding you the right talent for your business, first time. Identifying and engaging talent can be time consuming, costly and can have disastrous effects if you don't get it right. Employers often underestimate how effective a resource agencies can be in positively marketing your business in the industry."
Contact our panel
Alex Sutherland, Director
FM Property Recruitment Network
Tel: 0121 450 5115 / Mobile: 07960 872387
Email: alex@fmpropertyrecruitment.co.uk
www.fmpropertyrecruitment.co.uk
Ashleigh Brown, Senior FM Account Manager
Dovetail FM Recruitmen
Tel: 01635 43100
Email: ash@fm-recruitment.co.uk
www.fm-recruitment.co.uk
Simon Aspinall, Director
Catch 22
Tel: 0113 242 8077 / Mobile: 07976 156351
Email: simonaspinall@c22.co.uk
www.c22.co.uk
Nikki Dallas, Director
Talent FM
Tel: 0844 880 2426
Email: nikki@talentfm.co.uk
www.talentfm.co.uk
Alison Halfpenny, Director
Humanics
Tel: 07810 011896
Email: alisonh@humanics.co.uk
www.humanics.co.uk
If you enjoyed this blog, and you’d like to hear expert opinion on any other aspect of FM, drop me a line with your suggestions at coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
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