On this episode of The Stand, host Terrence O'Hanlon speaks with Sam Paske, Assistant General Manager of Environmental Services for the Metropolitan Council (Met Council), about leading reliability change across $9 billion in physical assets.
Sam reveals that after a 20-year intentional journey in asset management, the true focus remains firmly on people and culture. Met Council’s strategy shifts the paradigm from asset-centric mandates to a people-centric approach that maximizes human potential.
Key Insights into People-Centric Asset Management:
"Care is a Verb": Reliability success is built on demonstrating care for employees by actively listening to their frustrations and removing barriers so they can do their work effectively. This lived-out "care" builds the trust necessary to move forward.
Overcoming Resistance (D x V x F): Sam shares the scientific formula for change management: Dissatisfaction x Vision x First Steps must outweigh Resistance. If leaders fail to define the dissatisfaction, communicate the vision, or propose reasonable first steps, the initiative will fail.
The Power Paradox: Sam argues that management never truly holds the power over results. Leaders must embrace servant leadership and stand in the inquiry (asking questions) rather than showing up with the answers, recognizing that the CEO may only know 4% of what is truly happening.
Empowering the Front Line: Change is accomplished by empowering people closest to the work. Reliability leaders must stand in the inquiry, supporting the team's decision-making and harnessing the informal, everyday success that the workforce already achieves.
This session serves as a masterclass on transforming reliability from a technical concept into a profound cultural commitment.