4 reasons that make women perfect for key positions in Facility Management
Historically, men have dominated Facility Management. In 2014, only 3% to 4% of women held key management positions. A female executive in Facility Management was hard to find.
Since then, a lot has changed.
Today, women hold 51.5% of the administration, professional and related positions in the United States. Women also currently hold 20 positions of CEO in 500 FM companies. Now, Facility Management is flooded with talented female leaders.
What makes women uniquely suited to Facility Management?
Emotional Intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions as well as the emotions of those around you. Those with high emotional intelligence are particularly strong in four key areas:
- Self knowledge
- Self-management
- Empathy
- Social skills
Let’s take a look at how emotional intelligence factors contribute to the success of facility leadership and the four reasons why women are eligible for a position in Facility Management.
Manifest consists of 48% dynamic women Executives, while in total the Manifest Group consists of 70% women.
- Strong self-knowledge
Strong self-awareness means that a person is in tune with how he feels, how his emotions affect their actions and how their actions affect those around them. People with self-awareness also have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. These individuals become great leaders because they set realistic expectations and goals, know when and to whom to delegate responsibilities, and understand the important role they play in the success of their employees and the organization.
- Effective self-management
A leader who can regulate their emotions and objectively evaluate their actions makes them an ideal teacher and mentor because they rarely attack or respond to irrational situations. A leader also has the gentle skills needed to maintain control of a situation. These characteristics are important for the development and satisfaction of employees.
But self-management is also an essential part of critical thinking. If emotional reactions outweigh the ability of an installation leader to make quick decisions and take immediate action, smaller issues are more likely to become bigger problems.
- Ability to empathize
Leaders need to have excellent listening skills and the ability to see things from someone else’s point of view. This is especially true for facility leaders who are responsible for ensuring that their work environment adequately supports each employee.
Empathy supports the development of others by allowing leaders to provide thoughtful guidance and constructive feedback. Empathy also enhances the culture and commitment of a company’s employees, which directly affects turnover and productivity rates.
- Strong social skills
People with strong social skills are generally very likeable and great at communicating with all different types of people. In terms of facility leadership, this is an important qualification.
Leaders need to be watched to be successful. Installation managers are also responsible for communicating with every level of an organization, including the management team, workforce, third party vendors, maintenance crew and C-suite. Their ability to balance these communications will determine the effectiveness of their work environment.
Overall, these four advantages represent why women are uniquely suited to Facility Management. This does not mean that men are not emotionally smart, either, or that all women have higher emotional intelligence than men, but studies show that women are generally stronger in these areas. Due to their high levels of emotional intelligence, female facility executives can make decisive choices and cultivate organizational growth in a way that supports employee productivity, efficiency, and satisfaction.
Read more interesting articles.
See our related video: