A FM’s Legacy | Taz Sutherland

Quotes

“If you’re the protagonist in hundreds or thousands of people’s books along the way, if you’ve helped them at some point, if you pick them up or help them, like that leaves a legacy. You’re not their whole legacy, but you’re a piece of that.” (14:29)

“Don’t try to be an expert, try to be versatile, right? And I tell people that all the time. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t have your answer, but I know a guy, I know a lady, I know a team, I know a company that can handle that.” (50:30)

A FM’s Legacy

As people dealt with the challenges of the pandemic and a downright difficult year in 2020, many have begun to question and shift their priorities. Increased isolation and a decrease in separation between work and home due to remote work environments have led many to reevaluate their needs and determine what is most important.

People like Taz Sutherland have tried to find a silver lining in the hardship. Culture is putting a greater emphasis on mental health and self-care. People are thinking about the legacy that they are leaving. We see innovation to overcome the plethora of new challenges. Human nature is resilient, and that is on full display. Check out these tips on building a legacy to be proud of and innovating amid struggle.

Build a Legacy

The crux to establishing your legacy is understanding the role that basic storytelling tropes play in our lives. Every story has a protagonist — the hero — and an antagonist — the villain. Our lives are no different. When we form opinions about the people we interact with, we fit them into good and bad roles. By extension, others categorize you in the same way. So, how do you ensure that you are the protagonist and not the villain?

Taz says you need to understand that it is impossible to avoid being the villain altogether. You will always see a handful of people as adversaries, and there will always be people that see you as one. While you cannot avoid it entirely, you can minimize it and maximize the number of times you play the protagonist’s role in other people’s lives.

“If you’re the protagonist in hundreds or thousands of people’s books along the way, if you’ve helped them at some point, if you pick them up or help them, like that leaves a legacy. You’re not their whole legacy, but you’re a piece of that.” (14:29)

Often, playing the role of the hero will not feel heroic at all. According to Taz, it is not always about offering someone stunning, life-changing advice. Instead, consider how often you can have positive interactions with others. In the FM world, that might be referring a client to someone you have a connection with when you are not an expert in a particular field.

“Don’t try to be an expert, try to be versatile, right? And I tell people that all the time. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t have your answer, but I know a guy, I know a lady, I know a team, I know a company that can handle that.” (50:30)

How Struggle Inspires Innovation

While building a legacy has come to the forefront of many people’s minds, another silver lining from the challenging year has been innovation. An English proverb says, “Innovation is the mother of invention,” which has proven right over the last twelve months. Grocery stores and restaurants have pivoted to delivery and curbside services. Brick and mortar storefronts have adapted their business model to lean heavily into eCommerce. When faced with new challenges, businesses found a way to survive.

One tremendous example of innovation born from recent struggles is the emergence of ghost kitchens. With many restaurants struggling to keep up with rent costs without sales from their dining rooms, some have joined forces to share kitchen space. For those not familiar with this concept, it is a mutually beneficial partnership between two restaurants. One restaurant operates as usual and shares kitchen space with a delivery-only restaurant.

The pandemic has also inspired innovation in the FM industry as a whole. With facilities being used far less frequently, there is significantly less work for FM companies. If your primary clients are restaurants operating at 30% capacity, the work you get from them decreases significantly. To combat this, FMs are partnering and building communities to diversify and reach new markets.

While the pandemic has brought immense tragedy, it helps to highlight some of its positive byproducts.