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Inside the New Facilities Leadership Models That Put People First to Drive Profits
How does culture drive ROI? Greg Marston, VP of Operations at Harvard Maintenance, explains his "people, performance, process" philosophy.
Key Points
Facilities management teams often face high-pressure environments where consistent performance can be challenging, but focusing on culture and employee engagement creates a foundation for predictable, high-quality results.
Greg Marston of Harvard Maintenance believes that investing in people through servant leadership, mentorship, and transparent communication drives both client satisfaction and long-term operational success.
By sharing KPIs with staff, fostering structured mentorship, and empowering teams to propose solutions, facilities leaders can transform reactive operations into proactive, reliable, and high-performing services.
Shaping culture, especially in a large organization, can feel like trying to turn a battleship. It requires consistent effort and time to build real buy-in.
Facilities management is no longer just about keeping the lights on and responding to emergencies. It’s becoming a strategic, proactive function where operational excellence shapes predictable, high-quality outcomes. By cultivating a strong team culture, implementing disciplined processes, and using data to optimize building performance, facilities teams can focus on creating spaces that are safe, efficient, and welcoming.
Greg Marston, Vice President of Operations at Harvard Maintenance, a facilities management and building services company, brings extensive experience growing service operations through leadership roles at ABM Industries and Compass Group. He frames ROI through culture, seeing it as the foundation on which tools, tactics, and technology succeed. “Shaping culture, especially in a large organization, can feel like trying to turn a battleship. It requires consistent effort and time to build real buy-in,” he says.
Marston's approach is rooted in servant leadership, supporting employees rather than relying on top-down mandates. Clear communication and personal engagement align teams with organizational goals, driving better outcomes and measurable financial results. His framework is built on three pillars: people, process, and performance.
Investing in people: Equipping employees with training and resources motivates teams to perform at their best. “Taking care of your team is the foundation for success,” Marston says. “That leads to better client satisfaction and stronger financial results.”
Process discipline: Structured processes transform culture and performance into consistent results. “In the facilities space, some leaders let the day run them. They’re constantly reacting, and suddenly the day is over,” Marston observes. By implementing weekly operations meetings, KPI reviews, one-on-ones, and proactive project planning, facilities teams can shift from reactive to predictable, scalable performance.
Performance through transparency: Early in his tenure at Harvard Maintenance, Marston noticed minimal communication around performance metrics left employees uncertain about their impact. He introduced branch meetings to review KPIs, discuss performance, and share key company updates. “When we're clear and transparent about what's going on, employees become more invested in the organization,” he shares.
Rooted in the Inverted Pyramid philosophy championed by Stan Doobin, CEO of Harvard Maintenance, Marston places frontline staff at the center of operational success, flipping traditional hierarchies “Envision the pyramid upside down. The frontline staff are at the top,” he explains. Structured mentorship bridges generational gaps, develops high-potential employees, and embeds organizational knowledge. “It’s about building a development plan, assigning a mentor, and having regular check-ins," he adds.
Empowering solutions: Marston encourages proactive problem-solving and innovation at every level. “I challenge my people to not just bring me a problem, but also potential solutions. I’d rather try something innovative and have it not work out. That’s okay,” he says. Sharing performance data further reinforces accountability. “Every team member needs to understand our KPIs and how we’re measured. When gaps appear, we tackle them together and ask how we’re going to achieve them.”
Listen, then lead: Effective leadership begins with active listening. By understanding employees’ perspectives, challenges, and historical context, leaders can diagnose cultural and operational gaps before taking action. “A new leader needs to spend a lot of time listening and utilize that information to build a plan for what to do to address the culture. If you haven’t really taken the temperature of the room, then I think you’re going to make a miss,” he says.
With a culture of empowerment established, AI and automated tools can enhance transparency and proactive management, providing real-time insights through performance dashboards and analytics. Marston emphasizes that when leadership and culture are strong, adopting new technology becomes smoother, allowing both teams and clients to align around predictable, high-quality outcomes.
Organizations that prioritize culture, disciplined processes, and data-driven accountability are positioned for lasting success. For Marston, the combination of empowering people, leveraging data, and committing to operational discipline turns facilities management into a strategic, reliable function rather than a reactive one. “The organizations that will be successful in 2026 are those that invest equally in people development, operational standards, and leadership capacity,” he concludes.
