Discussing the Art of Anticipation
Published on: March 31, 2021
Prior to COVID my diaries discussed what I found to be effective “keys to success” as a Facilities Management Professional…at least what has proved effective in my 20-year career. Such topics were the importance of communication; the need to be as transparent as possible; and my argument that pure, 100% proactiveness is not attainable.
For many years I denied that my philosophy degree would have any use in the corporate world. Over time, I came to the realization that an adulterated, contradicting version of Cartesian doubt and Lockean/Hume-ian empiricism is a common occurrence throughout my workday.
In this diary I’ll be discussing another skillset that I have found extremely valuable in my career. Something I’ve dubbed “the Art of Anticipation,” or giving advance thought of any professional action you take within your daily routine. It is the ability to foresee how things will unfold and impact the many customers and employees we serve in advance of any action.
The Art of Anticipation is a cautious, strategic approach very similar to chess – though, instead of on a chessboard, your game happens in an email, a Zoom meeting, a conference room, a meeting with your boss, etc. It is a “look before you leap,” no-shooting-from-the-hip approach. You review/play every possible outcome of your professional action and develop a solution, either concrete or abstract, in case the outcome indeed comes to fruition. In other words, be prepared throughout the entire process and avoid being blind-sided. I have discovered over the time that The Art of Anticipation ties seamlessly into my philosophical belief in the middle ground between proactiveness and reactiveness.
The Art of Anticipation can be a very zen, straightforward notion, but it still tends to be very tricky, even “Jedi-ish” in nature, if I dare say. At times it can be both pragmatic and idealistic. The Art of Anticipation is something that is difficult to teach, but – once initially acknowledged, better yet, tuned into and grasped – can be a powerful tool that is enhanced and refined over time. Mastering The Art of Anticipation is for the ultimate benefit of the entire company. While it makes your life better, it also improves the operations of your company, which, at the end of the day, is our true goal.
Out of curiosity a few years ago, I took a two-day, Facilities Management “refresher” training class that was given by a well known third party in an NYC hotel conference center. At the end of the second day, I tried to pitch the concept of The Art of Anticipation to the instructor, who was quickly dismissive with a “no duh” response, arguing such a skill set comes with years of experience.
The instructor’s response made sense, but I was not entirely convinced because I have come across many professionals with years under their belts who seem to have no understanding of the importance of this concept. While straightforward and seemingly obvious to some, recognizing its very existence is the key to its efficacy.
The Art of Anticipation, when used effectively, happens throughout the workday. Sometimes it is the mundane task of regularly restocking paper, or it can be a bit more extreme…
One extreme example where my advice was not heeded was with a former employee during the 2008 global financial crisis. Seeking ways to save money, an executive decision was made to remove all the free coffee and machines from the pantries without communicating it to employees. I warned the big bosses that a revolt would certainly occur, and an email communication would prove wise.
I was outvoted, told to remove the machines in the early morning hours and just “blame it on Executive Management.” Well, the machines were removed; the revolt happened. I kept to the script until an Executive Manager replied “I AM Executive Management and knew nothing about this.” Both the machines and supplies were quickly returned.
A basic example of The Art of Anticipation is simply meeting your manager in your weekly 1:1 update. Don’t simply show up with a list of items; anticipate what your manager will ask about each topic. My current manager is the CFO of the company, so I can easily anticipate that many questions will be financially related. I also remember what topics are important to him and prioritize our meeting based on that. I also must keep my role and even his mood in the equation. Facilities Managers do not make money for the company, so they must shine in other ways: bringing sensible, pragmatic, potentially cost-saving solutions. Music to a CFO’s ears!
A more complex example of The Art of Anticipation? How about bed bugs, a topic I wrote about in one of first writings ever for this column. About five years ago, I was informed that an employee was “bitten” by something at work. As soon as I received word, I emailed both HR and my direct manager about anticipating that the rumors will be flying around the office and directly into the ears of Executive Management. Then, I started searching for bed bug remediation services on the internet and spoke to two vendors about the process (Roscoe the Dog). Our priorities were to understand how quickly they can perform the work (that evening) and the costs ($$$$$$), knowing fully well that my direct manager, HR and Executive Management will want all this information to make a decision.
Once these services were implemented, I worked with HR and the Communications Team to get TWO emails together. The first went out to all employees within two hours, acknowledging the issue and including the plan of action to address these critters. The second email was crafted to go out very early the next morning, knowing full well many employees will be interested in the results of the remediation efforts.
Successful Facilities Management includes understanding the personality types in your office, and this group was a particularly squeamish one. For this reason, the final step was to work with the HR Team and the pet control company to set up a “town hall” meeting the very next day where we would address employee concerns.
Again, the goal behind The Art of Anticipation is just that, to anticipate and stay one step ahead of those you support. Identify the questions and concerns they will have based on daily experiences. Plan for, and prepare to answer, the questions and address the concerns before they ask or act on their own. In the end, the employees will feel supported by both the company and the Facilities team.
Hence, combining The Art of Anticipation with other skills, such as communication, proactive/reactive balance (and even philosophically pondering), is the trifecta for success in Facilities Management!
Paul Haley, CFM, FMP, Facilities Manager at EHE Health, Professional Development Committee Member/ CFM Certified Instructor Candidate, Communications Committee Member
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