4 Skills Every Maintenance Manager Needs
Being a maintenance manager requires juggling many responsibilities. Here are the skills all maintenance managers need.
You are one of the best in your organization. You know the assets of your company and the maintenance schedule for each piece of equipment.
You have a wealth of expertise in the maintenance field with a strong background and a degree for good measure.
However, that may not be enough to be an effective maintenance manager.
Being an effective manager takes more than strong technical skills; you need to be just as strong in soft skills that people respond too and will follow.
You want to be the best at being a manager just like you’ve been with everything else in our career, then read on to learn more.
4 Maintenance Manager Skills That are a Must
Just because your a manager does not automatically mean you can manage people. Sure you can manage projects and equipment installations.
Managing people takes softer skills and being relateable, so people feel you know what they are dealing with and build some trust.
Being a manager takes effective leadership skills, but what exactly are leadership skills?
1. Being an Effective Leader
Means that you are optimistic and you lead by example to set a positive and be a role model for your subordinates. You want to inspire that same behavior in your team, and there is no better way to set the standard by how you go about your business.
Make sure you establish a clear vision for your teams project goals and delegate responsibilities effectively.
Take the time to do the following to increase the effectiveness of your leadership skills.
- Foster Motivation
- Have Clear Objectives
- Enable a transparent working environment
- Communicate effectively
- Have a clear timeline
Having these qualities, recognizing employees for their achievements, and leveraging the resources you need to complete projects will set you up for success as a leader.
2. Strong Interpersonal Skills
Having strong interpersonal skills required for a manager and they start with being an active listener. Being an active listener shows others you value and respect what others have to say. It also gives you a clearer understanding of what the issue may be or on what problem a person needs help.
You also want to be known as a person who has grace under pressure. You are the calming force and the voice of reason in stressful moments and when problems arise. You will be respected and viewed as an asset to the company.
You need to value and maintain good standing with all of your relationships at all levels as well as with vendors and customers.
3. Recognize Talent and Develop Skills on Your Team
Recognizing your team members with the skills required for a successful maintenance team. Being a hands-on manager is key to teaching mechanics the correct skills to troubleshoot equipment properly. Developing and coaching their maintenance skills will motivate your team and give you credibility because you are not afraid to let others advance.
4. Managing Your Time
As a maintenance manager, your time is a hot commodity. Staff meetings, phone calls, project reviews, and walkthroughs as well as daily issues. You have to be able to stay focused and know how much time to spend on a task and prioritize them.
In other words, you will work smarter not harder by using the technology that is available to keep the task on your radar without missing an essential job.
Putting These Skills into Practice
As a maintenance manager, you want to have all these skills, but maybe they don’t all come naturally to you. If they don’t come naturally to you, find a mentor in your company that can help you develop them.
Finding a mentor will be a great way to lead by example. After all, if you have a team member who needs help developing a skill, you would want them to come to you to help them get the training they needed.
Taking the steps necessary to reach your goal of becoming a maintenance manager won’t happen by themselves, you need to make that decision.
If becoming a maintenance manager is something that you want to do, then contact us today to find out how.
