The best facility leaders don’t just tell their teams what needs to get done. They show up and do the hard work alongside them.
In this episode of Facility Rockstars, Jay Culbert sits down with Sean Dearnley, GxP Facilities Manager at CRISPR Therapeutics, to talk about the lessons Sean has learned working his way from hands-on HVAC and maintenance roles into facilities leadership.
Sean shares why small acts of discipline can have a major impact, how thoughtful planning can turn an intimidating facility shutdown into a smooth operation, and why creating a strong maintenance culture requires constant reinforcement. He also explains how his years as a technician continue to shape the way he plans, communicates, and leads today.
From predictive maintenance and GMP documentation to communication and team building, Sean offers a practical look at what it takes to keep critical environments running while building a team that trusts one another.
Takeaways:
Do the work upfront. Strong planning, preventative maintenance, and redundancy can make difficult situations much easier to execute when the time comes.
Leadership doesn’t require a title. You can lead from any position by recognizing opportunities, communicating clearly, and helping the people around you succeed.
Show up when the work gets difficult. Leaders build trust through action, especially when they are willing to work alongside their teams during the jobs no one wants to do.
Listen to the people closest to the equipment. Operators and technicians often have valuable information that can make troubleshooting faster and more effective.
Communication and documentation matter. In GMP environments especially, completing the repair is only part of the job. The ability to clearly communicate and document what happened separates good technicians from great ones.
Quote of the Show:
“I don’t think there’s any better team-building exercise than being in a crappy situation and figuring it out with your team and getting through it.”
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-dearnley-171a1399/
Website: https://crisprtx.com/