I have heard that phrase from managers, directors, public leaders and even maintenance professionals. It is usually meant positively: maintenance may not be attractive, but it is essential. Yet language shapes status. Every repetition first places our profession in a lower category — unattractive, secondary and costly — and only then tries to defend it. The expression is also dated and needlessly gendered.
The response surprised me. The solitary figure did not remain alone. Professionals in several countries added their own voices. Some stressed systems thinking and the connection between strategy, people, risk, equipment and outcomes. Others spoke about collaboration between maintenance, operations, engineering and management. They described maintenance as precise, challenging, innovative, value-creating and, yes, enjoyable. Their shared point was clear: design intentions are tested only when assets meet the physical world.
That is also why maintenance cannot be reduced to repairing what has failed. It influences maintainability in design, investment decisions, reliability, risk acceptance, resources, renewal and disposal. For an asset-intensive organisation, Asset Management cann...