Compared to culture and process, technology is the least important part of the puzzle in asset management. Without proper education and training and a clearly defined vision, even the best tools won't deliver meaningful improvements. 

Veteran members of PCA, such as Stan Moore, have seen firsthand that sustainable asset performance doesn't come from equipment alone — it comes from people who understand how to use it effectively and leaders who support the process from the top down. Moore is a PCA Senior Maintenance and Reliability Consultant with more than forty years of experience. Below are insights about training and vision that Moore provided during a recent discussion.  

There's No Silver Bullet in Asset Management 

Moore posed this question to facility leaders: "If your organization has the lights on, it's already managing assets. But the real question is: Are you doing it effectively?"  

Asset management isn't about having one metric or solution that defines success. It's a strategic process that involves assessing a myriad of interconnected procedures, each of which contributes to the bigger picture. 

To move from reactive to proactive, organizations must define what their future state looks like. Only then can they accurately assess their shortcomings and build the roadmap. The journey depends heavily on education, standardization and leadership engagement. 

Standards Provide Structure, but They're Not Enough 

Moore shared insights about the importance and limitations of standards. "When I was maintaining rotating equipment in Houston back in the '90s, we built cross-functional teams to establish equipment standards. That process allowed us to assess expectations across plants, reduce variability, and replicate success," said Moore. 

But standards are just tactics. To truly make an impact, your standards need to be grounded in a larger strategic vision, which must come from management. You can delegate the execution of tasks, but you can't delegate ownership of the asset-management process.  

Leadership Must Support Training and Cultural Change 

Unfortunately, training is often the first thing cut when budgets tighten. Without a base level of competency, however, tech tools become underutilized or, worse, misused. The reality is that training is an investment and shouldn't be treated as a cost. 

"Early in my career, I wanted to go to a Vibration Institute conference, but I never had funds available for travel. However, if I wrote a paper and submitted it, I could attend as a presenter. This opened up a whole new set of doors in my education and expanded my knowledge of strategic reliability management," said Moore.   

That kind of professional development shouldn't be a rare exception. It should be built into your culture. 

Change Requires Top-Down Buy-In 

One of the biggest barriers to progress is cultural resistance to change, especially when new standards feel like audits or punitive actions. That mindset needs to change, and it starts with how leadership communicates the value of improvement.  

Over the years, Moore has used some creative tactics to encourage top-down buy-in. Moore recalled one specific instance during the interview: "At one facility, I asked the CEO to endorse our reliability playbook. I didn't just want them to sign off on it, but to take it into plants and personally reinforce its importance," said Moore. That CEO's proactive participation helped enable lasting cultural transformation.  

Strategy Plus Training Equals Sustainability 

The bottom line is that you need great tech to enhance your asset-management process, but you also need your people to buy into the vision behind it. With the right combination of leadership support, training and strategic clarity, your organization can move from reactive maintenance to a reliability-focused future.