The tide is turning

“I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh… they’re going to find me out.’” These are the words of late literary legend Maya Angelou on being visited by that merciless voice of self-doubt known as imposter syndrome.

Our minds can feel like a lonely place when doubts creep in, but as Maya’s words show, even the most revered among us can experience it. After all, we are all only human.

Given the circumstances our young profession has worked under, it’s little wonder FMs can experience doubts. It spent years in the background, out of sight and out of mind of the C-suite and decision-making. The impact of this was captured four years ago in our briefing paper FM and the Future World of Work, which found that many in the profession felt misunderstood and disregarded.

But the tide is turning. The pandemic has transformed working practices; insight from our recent Outlook Survey suggests it has highlighted the work FMs do and the value they add. One in three who contributed to the research agreed that the FM team is now better positioned in their organisation.

Read more on our website.

I have said before that individual achievement, particularly CPD, is key, but it’s equally critical that we stand together, celebrate our impacts, and ensure that the world understands our influence.

I hope you will join me and our wonderful volunteers in celebrating World FM Day this month.

Likewise, I hope to see you at IWFM Conference on 8 June, when we cast doubts aside and equip you to be the ‘agents of change’ we know you all are.

Linda Hausmanis is CEO of the IWFM 

To read the full May/June 2022 edition, click here.