SODEXO ADVERTORIAL Cue a variation of the inspirational Alecia Keys song: This girl is on
CFM, SFP, FMP, CBCP, Vice President of Operations for Facilities Management. She oversees the facility operations of 130 sites in North States.
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- erations for the built environment. And now, she is taking the facilities world by storm as a respected leader in the industry. Lynn serves as the Second Vice Chair for the Global Board of Di-
rectors of the industry’s largest and best recognized professional asso- Member of the Board of Trustees for the IFMA Foundation and Chair of IFMA’s Government Relations Committee. - ment space, especially among women FM leaders. Each year, FM pro- fessionals from across the world attend both IFMA & NFMT events to a proud sponsor of the Women in FM panels at these conferences. Lynn has served as mentor and speaker at both IFMA World Work- ladies at IFMA Facility Fusion in Chicago. We caught up with Lynn to discuss her journey and get her guid-
FMM: What inspired you to pursue a career in Facilities
Management? My career started in environmental compliance with and cost recovery, and it wasn’t long before it became clear that most of the violations were due to operational practices and procedures through the supply chain within organizations. That insight drove me Safety quickly evolved to translating day-to-day practices in compli- ance to front line teams and suppliers. I was asked if you help in typical facility operations and my transition into the profession began. I’ve en- joyed applying my compliance background to FM ever since. I never looked back and have been in FM nearly two decades. What do you personally enjoy most about working in FM at Sodexo? I love working with recruitment and building/developing account teams because there is such a diverse talent pool in the mar- FM, I’ve had success interfacing with areas such as IT and hospitality, which are industries that were not typically considered core to FM. I’ve found that people in these industries have talent and transferable skills. Getting the right people and skillsets for an account is so import- Who inspired you the most and helped shape your lead-
ership style? Mentorship in all levels of your career is so import- ant. Through my career there have been so many that have shaped and continue to shape my leadership skills in FM. I consider myself a style to how they work best along with how the way you work can drive alignment to goals and objectives easier and develops rapport for team-building faster. An FM must be adaptable to all levels of an orga-
18 Facility Manager Magazine
to communicate with all segments in a manner that they can translate the overall vision and mission that you are leading and a servant-lead- ership style can produce those results in a way that is collaborative and engaging. Did you have a mentor and how did he or she support you along the way? I have a had many mentors since the start of my career and continue to have mentors today. I have formal mentors to support my career development. I also have informal mentors. I con- sider many of my esteemed colleagues in IFMA ‘true points north’ in my career and light houses of support along the way. I urge everyone to consider who is telling your story when you are not in the room. They are potential mentors for you. How has Sodexo contributed to your career growth? There
- aged has given me the opportunity to leverage cutting edge insights. I - ally helped me as I grow my career. What was the best advice you received? Never limit yourself
to the role you are applying for. Every leader is searching for a talent but for what skills and talents the recruit can deliver to the team or the organization for long term growth. What’s the most important piece of advice you would give
to women in Facilities Management? It’s a great time for wom- ago is changing. We are becoming stewards of the built environment system and tool integration for facilities. We will need to learn how in- tegrated infrastructure will impact facilities overall. This is a key driver for future women in FM as we can deliver integrated cross-functional solutions to our clients. What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to men who want to support women in FM? As a leader or colleague, view your team mate in the skills and talent they possess. Nurture and grow this employee to not only meet the needs your orga- nization but their professional development. Consider delivering open and constructive feedback when appropriate and continue to be their advocate through their career.
FM? As diverse as the built environments we lead are the composition of skills it takes to run them. The modern FM must master a huge va- riety of skills from project management to operations and technology. We will continue to see infrastructure be repurposed through its life cycle and will need a diverse talent base to drive change in our facili- ties. An inclusive approach drives a bench strength and deep pool of employees to learn this industry. -
portant? This industry has given me and my family so much that I want to pay it forward. I have mentor, speak, join committees, vol- unteer. For me, it is critical that I can contribute to the future of this profession.
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