Ep. 162: "Be Curious" – Inspiration for Achieving Collective Success in Facilities and Asset Management with Lalit Agarwal of APPA

Lalit Agarwal is President and CEO of APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities, the association supporting educational facilities professionals worldwide. He brings over two decades of experience in facilities management, including leadership roles at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and EnergyCAP, an energy management and sustainability company. Mike Petrusky asks Lalit about his career journey from an engineer to facilities manager to the CEO of APPA, where he is passionate about building business partnerships and professional development opportunities for the FM community. He shares how APPA is focusing on aligning its programs with the current needs of FM professionals while ensuring they stay relevant, especially in the face of rapid technological advancements and budgetary constraints. Lalit believes that facility management leaders must upskill and embrace AI as a tool to augment human capabilities rather than replace them by emphasizing that basic technological foundations are in place first. Mike and Lalit agree that curiosity and willingness to collaborate with others are essential for success in the complex and evolving world of facility management, so they offer advice and inspiration to help you be an Asset Champion in your organization! Connect with Lalit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lalit-agarwal-1961426/ Learn more about APPA - Leadership in Educational Facilities: https://www.appa.org/ Explore Eptura™: https://eptura.com/ Discover free resources and explore past interviews at: https://eptura.com/discover-more/podcasts/asset-champion/ Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepetrusky/