Developing and Elevating Your Maintenance Team.
Most maintenance teams do
not struggle because they lack skill. They struggle because they are stuck in
the wrong mindset. I ran a maintenance engineering team for eight years and
part of my role as their leader was to ensure their professional and personal
development was at the forefront of my goals.
I began introducing small
changes to shift that mindset, starting with weekly maintenance meetings. The
intent was to review performance, discuss upcoming work, and talk through
equipment issues as a team. What stood out immediately was the resistance. The
general attitude was, “My job is to fix things, why am I in a meeting?”
Attendance was inconsistent, engagement was low, and the value of these
conversations was not yet understood.
At the same time, I also realized
I was leading a group that defaulted to agreement. Questions were met with
quick “yes” answers, but there was little real discussion, no pushback, and
very little ownership of ideas. The team was executing work, but they were not
thinking beyond it.
That was the turning
point. The goal was no longer to manage a team of repair technicians. It was to build a team of maintenance
engineers. Not in title, but in mindset. I needed problem solvers, people who
would question failures, look for patterns, and think beyond the immediate fix.
After a few meetings of late arrivals,
disengagement, and passive head nodding, I realized something had to change.
The expectations were not clear, and without clear expectations, there would be
no shift in behavior. So, I addressed the team directly.
Those who know me I put
punctuality at the top of non-negotiables. I made it clear that meetings were
not optional. They were part of the job. Being on time meant being prepared,
not just present. On time was no longer walking in at the start time. It meant
being there early, ready to engage, with a notebook in hand. Agendas would be
sent out ahead of time, and each person was expected to come prepared to speak
to the work they were responsible for, without being prompted.
I also addressed
accountability. If someone was late, it would be addressed. If there was a
valid reason, communication was expected ahead of time. These were not harsh
rules. They were standards. Standards that reflected the level of
professionalism required to operate as a team.
More importantly, I
challenged them to use their voice. I made it clear that I expected input,
opinions, and even disagreement. Their experience and knowledge were too
valuable to sit quietly in a room. If we were going to improve, it would
require open discussion, different perspectives, and a willingness to challenge
ideas. Including mine.
That conversation marked
a shift. The expectation was no longer just to show up and fix equipment. The
expectation was to think, communicate, and contribute. That was the first real
step toward building a team of maintenance engineers.
I also made it clear that
this shift was not one-sided. If expectations were increasing, so was my
commitment to them. I explained that I was going to invest in them. In their
development, in the department, and in their overall well-being. If they were
willing to step up, think differently, and engage at a higher level, I would
make sure they had the support, tools, and opportunities to grow.
That meant training,
exposure to new ideas, involvement in decision-making, and creating an
environment where their input mattered. Communication was a two-way commitment.
I expected more from them, but they could also expect more from me. That mutual
investment became a key part of building trust and moving the team forward.
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