Elevating Maintenance Management: Building Business‑Savvy Leaders

Today, the maintenance manager must operate as a full‑scale business unit leader, balancing lean principles, TPM, Reliability Excellence, RCM, and cutting‑edge technology to deliver tangible value alongside other plant functions.

Maintenance managers run a business within a business. They shoulder 24/7 responsibility for a product, customers, resource allocation, planning, people development, and political acumen—all while managing the most highly trained workforce with untapped talent and creativity. The question is simple: Are you winning or merely avoiding loss?

For a decade, I partnered with a mentorship program at the U.S. Postal Service that transformed maintenance leaders into business‑savvy professionals. The program’s goal was to evolve managers first into leaders, then into business managers, and finally into true maintenance management experts.

The first year focused on deep self‑understanding using tools such as Myers‑Briggs, FIRO‑B, DISC, PF16, and 360‑degree feedback. Through guided group discussions and psychological facilitation, participants learned how to lead, persuade, and manage—both others and themselves.

After that foundational work, mentors immersed them in classes covering marketing, accounting, economics, strategy, and quantitative management. This enabled managers to converse with other functions in business language. Participants also subscribed to industry journals and attended professional conferences, followed by two weeks of Reliability Excellence training.

With self‑awareness and business exposure as a base, each manager crafted a personalized Individual Development Plan (IDP) that spanned two years, aligning personal growth with best maintenance practices.

While few managers receive such comprehensive training, the core principles—self‑knowledge, business acumen, process orientation, and continuous personal development—are essential for any organization that wants a motivated, high‑performing workforce. Managers must create a learning culture that encourages ongoing growth.

Senior leaders should set the example by actively pursuing their own development and supporting their teams. Walking the talk is the most powerful message.

My first job out of college taught me the value of continuous learning. Supervisors expected us to read the latest engineering articles at our desks, and the company funded college courses across disciplines. That culture of lifelong learning shaped my career—and it should shape yours.

Beyond technical training, encouraging employees to pursue diverse interests—whether pottery, Eastern religion, or any hobby—can reduce stress, foster creativity, and ultimately improve performance. Human resources may focus on KSAs for current tasks, but the future demands skills in creativity, innovation, and leadership.

Empowering managers to experiment with life, reflect on their strengths, and align personal aspirations with organizational goals creates a resilient workforce. Harvard Business Review once emphasized that the best strategy for leaders is self‑knowledge. Early use of personality instruments builds the foundation for understanding both self and the diverse talents within the team.

When a secretary expressed interest in an MBA in marketing, I supported her. Six years later, she holds a senior marketing role. We cannot predict where employees will end up, but we can prepare them for opportunities. As Darrell Royal famously said, “Preparation meets opportunity.”

While company‑mandated IDPs often feel forced, I advocate for a free‑form approach that captures life aspirations, work desires, community engagement, strengths, values, and personal growth. This holistic plan places ownership on the manager and encourages off‑site workshops that build confidence and team cohesion.

Remember, your peers and superiors face similar challenges. Helping them navigate their own growth propels the entire organization forward.

I thrive on the adventure of reinvention—shifting roles, launching new initiatives, and driving vision across the plant. Whether you change jobs or not, you can reinvent your current role by mastering self‑knowledge, workforce understanding, process excellence, and a shared vision that you champion to the entire organization. Are you ready for the challenge?