Get to know our leaders: Dynamic Facility Services is spotlighting: Melanee Jech, President and CEO.
Many young graduates have their sights set on a CEO position, but Melanee Jech had an owner’s mindset. “I had a really entrepreneurial spirit, and the idea was for me to learn as much as I could to own my own business,” she says. “As it turned out, I loved what I was doing and never slowed down enough to start my own company, but essentially I’m doing that for somebody else now. Dynamic is growing very quickly—it’s an opportunity to put all I’ve learned to good use.”
That learning process was a long one, but, throughout her career, she was determined to get as much experience as possible. “I did everything I could,” she says. “I sat in every seat. If somebody went on maternity leave, I volunteered to do double duty. I learned. Even in accounting, which is not my core competency, I went through every seat in the department. Whenever we grew or expanded, I was there, I was ready, because I had already learned and performed.” Melanee’s career learning trajectory includes insights gained from more than 30 years in leadership roles at such facilities management companies as Stratus and Federal Heath Sign Company.
Now in a leadership position with Dynamic, Melanee describes her management style as “very direct,” but also focused on employees and their development. “I am direct but I am also empathetic, with a lot of open communication,” she says. “I spend time talking to them about their mindsets, career status, and what they need to do to start working toward the next level. Helping my team perform at their highest level to reach their own career goals is important, and if they’re high performers, it’s also a success for the company.”
One key aspect of her management style is the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®). “It’s a set of criteria that helps you put vision to action,” explains Melanee. “In short, it’s a playbook for overcoming challenges and achieving business success. I really believe in it. It provides a strong foundation for a healthy company and it really does cascade into every aspect of how you manage your team and how you make important decisions for the company.”
To other women aiming for a CEO position, Melanee has this advice: “Never stop learning and growing. There are going to be difficult days, but never give up, stay positive, stay focused, and no matter where you’re sitting, do great work.”
When she looks back on her career, it’s clear to Melanee that taking her own advice is what has led her to where she is now.
“I entered the workforce at a very young age,” Melanee says. “My first job was at age 10, for the state of Arkansas at a job program. At that age I just didn’t know I could stop, so I didn’t. I quickly found that attitude and hard work are the first ingredients to success.” Since her first job out of school, Melanee has never applied for another job—every position has been the result of a referral. “That speaks for itself,” she says. “When you work hard and you do good work, success is less of a surprise than a result.”