Decentralized pros
The decentralized leaders develop the programs and deliver to the field in such a way that they just request implementation and follow up. There tends to be no skin in the game and quite honestly much easier to complain about performance, shoot arrows and point fingers about performance than to make things happen and control the maintenance operation.
Depending on your particular leadership style, this is much easier, little travel, email management style and a 9-to-5-type job. Less mechanical and people skills, but more political skills needed. This manager typically loves to write reports, make charts and graphs and a delegation pro.
Decentralized cons
The programs have to be sold to local people and directed by local people. They also strongly tend to let budgets and personal interference provide for a less than performing operation. It is not their first passion. The maintenance operation never become a well-oiled machine and corporate leadership tends to give-up because the local management can choose to follow the direction trying to be set forth. The local management directed vehicle maintenance in a much different path and tends to let budget, personalities and many other thing interfere with providing the highest in performance. It is more about local “power,” that which is not under the hood. It is not necessarily their forte…The latest term I have heard was 4 Wall management. I guess that means the king of the court manages everything within the four walls.
The solution?
I am sure there is a good case for each, if managed correctly. Each leader has a style that fits his or her management beliefs and practices. However, I am not sure that decentralized is the correct path for being the most efficient machine. I do believe that there has to be a joint direct and indirect line of communication with the highest respect for each others departments for the best results, all the groups, local and corporate staff working for the same cause: Efficient, low-cost maintenance. No one is ever happy with the cost, and maintenance managers have a short shelf life–they either get fired or they quit within three years. Most because under decentralization, they have limited or no control and centralized many do not have any control. I believe that centralized, with control and respect for the internal and external customer will give the company the lowest achievable cost and fleet maintenance control. Let the maintenance department do their job, give them control, expect performance, and all the others stay in their own lane. After all, we maintenance people all have big egos and are admittedly power freaks.
