Editor’s Notebook

TERRY Tanker Publisher ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com

PETE Grasso Editor pgrasso@hvacrbusiness.com

MEGAN LaSalla Art Director mlasalla@hvacrbusiness.com

BRUCE Sprague Circulation Manager bs200264@sbcglobal.net

BARBARA Kerr Executive Assistant bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com ADVERTISING STAFF EAST COAST/SOUTHEAST JIM Clifford Regional Sales Manager Tel 201-362-5561 Fax 201-334-9186 jclifford@hvacrbusiness.com

MIDWEST ERIC Hagerman Regional Sales Manager Tel 216-409-3246 Fax 440-731-8750 ehagerman@hvacrbusiness.com

WEST COAST TERRY Tanker Publisher Tel 440-731-8600 Fax 440-731-8750 ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com

HVACR Business, founded January 1981, is a monthly national trade magazine serving contractors, mechanical engineers, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, distributors, trade associations, and others in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry primarily in the U.S. The editorial focus and mission of HVACR Business is to provide business owners and managers with the very best business management concepts available. Critical topics covered include leadership, management, strategy, finance, sales, marketing, training, education, staffing, operations, human resources, legal issues, customer service and more. We are dedicated to helping contractors master these key management skills and provide them with the resources necessary to build strong, profitable companies. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of submitted advertising and editorial information. Copyright©2020 by JFT Properties LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced or retransmitted in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any information storage retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Unauthorized copying may subject violators to criminal penalties as well as liabilities for substantial monetary damages up to $100,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys’ fees. This publication should not be utilized as a substitute for professional advice in specific situations. If legal, medical, accounting, financial, consulting, coaching or other professional advice is required, the services of the appropriate professional should be sought. Neither the authors nor the publisher may be held liable in any way for any interpretation or use of the information in this publication. The authors will make recommendations for solutions for you to explore. Any recommendation is always based on the authors’ research and experience. The information contained herein is accurate to the best of the publisher’s and authors’ knowledge; however, the publisher and authors can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof. Subscription Rates: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: U.S. and possessions: 1 year $48; 2 years $75; 3 years $96; Canadian and foreign, 1-year $108 U.S. funds only. Single copies $8. Subscriptions are prepaid, and check or money orders only. Subscriber Services: To order a subscription or change your address, write to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039 or call (440) 731-8600; or visit our Web site at www.hvacrbusiness.com. For questions regarding your subscription, please contact bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com. HVACR Business (ISSN 2153-2877) Copyright ©2020 is published monthly by JFT Properties LLC,31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039, Phone: 440- 731-8600. Periodicals postage is paid at North Ridgeville, OH and additional mailing offices. (USPS 025-431) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039.

31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104 North Ridgeville, OH 44039 Tel: (440) 731-8600 Fax: (440) 731-8750 Web site: www.hvacrbusiness.com (ISSN: 2153-2877)

BY PETE GRASSO

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Leadership is Ongoing O ver the years, we’ve published many articles on the topic of leadership. It seems to be one category no one can learn enough about. Month after month, leadership (along with financial) articles consistently rank amongst the most read content on hvacrbusiness.com.

When speaking with contractors, the topic of leadership often comes up as something they’re interested in reading about. While we’re comitted to providing new content every month, our entire library is available online and much of it is a good refresher. After browsing through some past leadership articles recently, I thought it would be a good reminder to share some of these nuggets of wisdom here. LEADERSHIP VS. MANAGEMENT

Managing people also means looking after them and their needs, listening, and involving them whenever possible. For most HVACR business owners or general managers, filling the role of manager means generating revenue, assigning work and financially managing the company. Growing a business and keeping it profitable requires tremendous time, energy and stamina, and it can seem natural to focus on the work that needs to be done, rather than the people who will be doing the work.

This is where leadership comes in. To make your business successful in the long term, it’s important to nurture leadership traits in yourself and in potential leaders for your company’s future. — Mike Moore, January 2019 THE GENIUS OF LEADERSHIP

The amount of energy, time, desire, passion and sheer will required to make your business grow and prosper is enormous. Yet, rarely do you see the owners working on improving his/her own leadership skills — to grow themselves personally so that, as the business grows, the owner stays ahead of the needs of the business and the people inside of the business.

You need to frame your leadership practices to be responsible to your people, not for your people. As a leader, you have to be able to hold them accountable for the work they perform at the standards you’ve established, and that means you have to create an environment of accountability and standards in the first place. — Gary Elekes, March 2018 THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT ROLES

Matching individual talent with a role is not an easy task. Top performers in one environment can be mediocre in another. Conversely, mediocre performers may thrive in a new environment. Intangibles, such as attitude, culture and behaviors, however, ultimately determine a candidate’s success. Similarities in intangibles between your team and your company will create a higher engagement level, leading to greater productivity and better retention. — Mike Abrashoff, December 2017 EMPOWER YOUR MANAGERS

Leading managers is different and more challenging. It requires more patience and more coaching.

Nobody wants someone to consistently be watching over them, they need the freedom and flexibility to do things their way. A common mistake is to skip a level of management and go directly to the people because you have no faith in your managers. Do not meddle. Coach, teach and train. — Bob McEwan, November 2017 HOW TO GROW AS A LEADER

The many great leaders who have impacted their organizations in such profound ways all over the world have taught us that leadership is about service to others. The ability to show humility is one of the greatest strengths a leader can have and allows them to build trust and respect from their team. It’s our job as leaders to create an environment in which our team members feel comfortable enough to fully engage themselves, which will ultimately result in a strong culture. A strong culture will lead to long-term success. — Jeremy Noll, August 2017 DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE THE BOSS

As much as we hate to admit it, our relationship with our employees sometimes resembles the parent/child relationship. We’re responsible for the actions of our employees, we give them direction and they often come to us for advice, both professionally and personally.

As leaders, we’re often tasked with pulling out the highest quality and most productivity from our team. This requires us to be purposeful and diligent. At the same time, we usually end up having feelings of care and compassion for our co-workers. — Steve Schmidt, July 2015 Never stop learning, and never stop developing your leadership skills.