As a successful woman of color in the facilities management industry, Maxcene Crowe definitely stands out. She fearlessly embraces her role and is excited to be an industry leader and role model for professionals entering the field. Maxcene is a facilities management consultant who specializes in mobilizing supply chains and supporting large operational teams. She applies her transferable superpower soft skills of rapport, humor, respect, and empathy to collaborate with suppliers worldwide. Find out more about what this industry expert, author and devoted figure skater has learned throughout her career and her future plans to support young minds.
GLEAC: Who do you have to thank for a decision that you made that got you where you are today?
MAXCENE: I have to thank my father, the late Idol Miller. He was a very strong presence, a deacon of our local church; his discipline taught and kept us honest. My decision to focus on a career in facilities management came because when he was poorly before he passed, he said “Never fear anyone. If you want something go after it.” At the time, twenty years ago, my industry was super male dominated with hardly any females, let alone any young ones or people of color. You could say I often stood out from the crowd. Daddy taught me that it’s okay to stand out, to be different, and to be a go-getter!
GLEAC: If a future version of yourself had to thank you for something you are doing right now that will contribute to your future, what would it be for?
MAXCENE: My future self would thank me for being active in the GLEAC community first, and second she would also thank me for taking the Key Person of Influence accelerator course with Dent Global. That course gave me the framework and tools to develop and grow my business whilst making an impact in the world through my future foundation. My Heal Your Mind retreat will be based in the West Indies and will be designed for families, children, and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24.
Our goal will be to help them revive, restore, reflect, and receive respite from anxiety disorders, depression, and mental illness. It will be set in Black River, Jamaica on 7.5 acres of land, of which part will be a conservation area. There will be state-of-the-art, secure facilities focused on health, fitness, mental balance, yoga, nutrition, art therapy, educational workshops, and activities for the family.
GLEAC: What is your superpower soft skill (it can be one or a few)? How do you use it in your job in your sector?
MAXCENE: My main superpower skills are rapport, the ability to build a connection quickly and put my colleagues at ease, enabling trust to grow and strong collaboration. Partnership and having a sense of humor help me in very tricky situations. I am also good at having difficult conversations. (They do not have to get messy!) My other superpowers are respect and empathy.
GLEAC: In 5 years from now, who do you want to become? Describe in detail;-)
MAXCENE: I want to become a better version of myself today. I actually really like who I am as a person, and I feel I want to become someone who gives way much more and creates even more of an impact in the world than I do now.
GLEAC: If the 80-year-old version of you had to give advice to the 8-year-old version of you, what would she say you need to change/buck up on right now?
MAXCENE: My 8-year self would first say “Wow you made it to 80!!” Then I would advise my younger self, “Never stop daydreaming. The change is you. Write it all down and keep a journal. Get more sleep. You are going to need and value it more as you get older. Have fun even in tough times. Find a positive thought and spark to hold onto. Laugh loads but only when it’s appropriate. Be selfless and trust the universe.”
GLEAC: ”Are there any soft skills you need to work on to better yourself?
MAXCENE: Always yes absolutely! Active listening, critical thinking, and forecasting are the soft skills I need to work on. Stakeholder communication is definitely another. Sometimes I like to beaver away in the background and actually forget to share my productivity with stakeholders. Being more proactive in this area will help.
GLEAC: If you had to explain your job to a 5-year-old, how would you do it?
MAXCENE: Assuming the child is standing, I would kneel so that we are the same height. I would ask the child to imagine the house they live in, then I would explain that Mummy and Daddy have to take care of the house, cleaning, gardening, keeping it safe, and feeding you so you grow up strong and healthy. I would then explain that I do the same for people with really big houses all over the world, and I have lots of special friends to help me.
GLEAC: What is the one thing you learned on your professional journey that you would like to share with the world?
MAXCENE: Change is inevitable. Understand what it means to you and how you need to adapt then just get to working with those changes, and if you don’t like it, guess what? You always have a choice. Your career is yours to decide how you live it.
GLEAC: Work in your sector can get rigorous. How do you keep up the mojo?
MAXCENE: I have to take a timeout. I say a mantra to myself, “I can. I will. I must.” And envision the teams I support and say to myself, “This is not about you Maxcene. This is for them. They are relying on you to deliver so have a break, then get back to it. You got this. Just keep going.”
GLEAC: What are you most proud of so far on your journey?
MAXCENE: I am proud of the opportunities I have had to work with some really truly amazing peers which have helped me learn, grow and develop into a position that enables me now to be a role model for young professionals at the start of their facilities management career and also a positive role model for my daughter. I am also a proud figure skater. This has helped my fitness and developed my ability to use the problem-solving part of my brain. I participated in the 2019 Sheffield Adult National Championships in the UK. It was an amazing experience.
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