Facility management touches everything. HVAC systems. Electrical infrastructure. Sustainability initiatives. Capital planning. Workplace experience. Vendor contracts. Emergency response. Budget forecasting.

It’s no wonder many professionals entering the field, especially women, feel like they’re supposed to have all the answers from day one. For International Women’s Day, we asked members of IFMA’s Engage community to share their top advice for women navigating the complexities of the built environment.

Their responses revealed a powerful message: You don’t have to know everything.

Here are three important lessons they shared:

1. You don’t need to know it all

You will manage many different types of work. However, this does not mean you need to be a licensed electrician or know how to fix an air conditioner yourself. Mandy Dreisbach, Director of Facilities & Real Estate, says:

" You don't have to know it all. In FM you will juggle many trades and functions- you don't have to have an electrician's license or experience repairing HVAC, but you do need to have a wholistic understanding of what makes a facility tick and what your end users need. Don't get intimidated by extremely technical needs; you can find the necessary experts for each piece."

The Takeaway: Don't be afraid of technical problems. Your job is to find the right experts and make sure they work together to help the people using the building.

2. Success and Failure Are Part of the Job

In facility management, your work is very visible. If the building works well, no one says anything. If something breaks, everyone notices. Elizabeth DeMott, a Senior Manager, explains that you shouldn't let these daily ups and downs affect your confidence.

“The way our buildings perform and the satisfaction of users/customers is a daily review, with wins and failures that all present opportunities to learn. Women tend toward people-pleasing. It's good to remember that what we do, and gaining others' approval, does not define who we are. We are all a work in progress!”

The Takeaway: Buildings are complicated, and things will break. Use failures as a chance to learn, but don't take them personally. You are allowed to grow as you go.

3. Asking questions is a strength

You don't need a degree in engineering to be a great manager. Lena Lynch, who moved from a career in Biology to FM, found that being curious was more important than having a technical background.

"Don't be afraid to admit what you don't know and don't be afraid to ask questions! I was really worried how I would be received not having an engineering or maintenance background. But I also knew that what I didn't know, I would make up for by sheer curiosity... Everything I have learned has been from on-the-job experience, googling, and asking questions of anyone and everyone who would answer them. If I couldn't get a grasp of it from an explanation; I would google and ask people to show me. I think the desire to learn and understand has helped me build tremendously collaborative relationships across so many different areas."

The Takeaway: If you don't understand how something works, ask someone to show you. Asking questions helps you build good relationships with your team and helps you make better decisions.

The Big Picture: You Belong in FM

The advice from our IFMA community converges on a central theme: The "all-knowing" facility manager is a myth.

Modern facility management is increasingly strategic, data-driven, and human-centered. No matter your background, your unique lens is what the industry needs to evolve.