Communication is one of the five cross-functional competencies (communication, sustainability, quality, innovation, and collaboration) in the ProFM Body of Knowledge. These competencies describe the behaviors, attributes, and underlying knowledge necessary for FM professionals to facilitate the application of core technical knowledge and skills.

 Definition: Communication is the process of conveying information and ideas. It involves the activities of effectively transferring thoughts and expressing ideas with others, listening and addressing the concerns of others, and creating an atmosphere in which timely and high-quality information flows among all stakeholders.

Communication is a thread that weaves itself through everything a facility manager knows, says, and does. Technical skills are not enough to ensure success for a facility manager. A fundamental part of the role is communicating with a wide variety of constituents. The ability to communicate is implicit in facility management.

Communication is used to:

• Coordinate facility work by communicating clearly and completely what must be done, when, how, and by whom.
• Build support for proposals and create allies.
• Deliver service to varied stakeholders who may have different needs and expectations of FM.

Communication is a skill that a competent facility manager must have as well as a tool that the facility manager must use to support his or her leadership role in the organization. Facility professionals must communicate with stakeholders who have different communication needs, styles, levels of authority, cultural backgrounds, interests, and levels of expertise. Facility managers show respect and sensitivity to these differences and improve the effectiveness of their message by customizing their communications. Appreciating other people’s perspectives creates opportunities to maintain and improve relationships, which in turn helps people be engaged and positive about working with FM. Well-planned and well-delivered communications can therefore have a strong influence on achieving project objectives. To this end, planning for this area includes collecting information on stakeholders’ communication needs and requirements.

Key Concepts:

• The communication model.
• Good communication skills (e.g., active listening, choosing best medium, clear messaging).
• Formal/informal communication.
• Appropriate communications for stakeholders.
• Facility management’s role in communications.
• Creating a communication plan.

Communication Proficiency Indicators (Task Statements)

• Effectively communicates with stakeholders, presenting appropriate levels of detail for the situation and refraining from presenting unneeded information.
• Creates a channel for open communication.
• Conveys information clearly and concisely and ensures that it is understood by the listener.
• Communicates FM’s vision, strategy, and goals to senior leaders and FM staff.
• Creates a communication plan and distributes to all involved stakeholders.
• Defines and applies various modes of communication used within organizations.
• Chooses the best medium for communications.
• Develops and maintains a pattern of reciprocal exchanges of information.
• Solicits feedback from others.
• Listens actively to others’ views and concerns.
• Identifies factors that can inhibit clear communication and seeks ways of overcoming them.
• Seeks further information to clarify ambiguity.
• Ensures that all stakeholders’ feedback is heard and acknowledged.