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October 5, 2014
Nick Meeder

Relationships vs Tasks

What is more important to you – getting the job done, or developing a relationship with your customer? In any job, there is a process of tasks or work that must be completed to allow for a business transaction. However, if you think this is all that’s necessary, you have a misconception. Business happens between people, not tasks. Tasks take place so that people can be paid for their services, but transactions happen between human beings and therefore includes deeper things than tasks. There is a relationship in every business transaction. The deeper the relationship and connection, the more connected and faithful your customers will be. If you will take the time to open yourself, be vulnerable, empathize or truly try and understand someone, the deeper the bond between you and your customer. People want to feel like they’re understood and known. If we as business owners or brand advocates will spend more time on caring for other people, serving, and developing the bond of trust, then our customers (or team members) will bond with our brands and follow us wherever we go. How will you become vulnerable and interested in your prospective customers that will cause them to bond with you?
September 23, 2014
Nick Meeder

How to Stop Bad Attitudes from Ruining Your Career in HVAC

Have you ever been around a very negative person while working on a job together. I’m sure you have because these people seem to be everywhere. The problem is that if you’re not intentional, you’ll find yourself joining in their cynicism. This creates very unhealthy attitudes towards your company, leaders, co-workers, and subverts your productivity, not to mention you will become an unpleasant person to be around. Often, you’ll find yourself playing the victim or worse maligning someone else (who will eventually find out because HVAC tech are the worst gossips I’ve ever met). 

Usually, victim cynicism stems from blame shifting. Blaming circumstances or others for a compressor changeout gone bad, or the predicament of the company. “Why didn’t our dispatcher order the right compressor?” Why is it that our sales department can’t seem to find any work.” Or “The job failed because the salesman didn’t bid the job properly.” Have you ever heard these? 

The issue is that these are victim questions. They shift the responsibility to other people’s actions. However, if you shift the blame and responsibility, then you are a victim of your circumstances. You cannot control the outcome in life or try and do better in life because your circumstances are determined by others’ choices.

Instead, be proactive and take responsibility for what you can do or influence. Ask questions like, “How could I have helped the salesman bid the job properly?” “How can I help the dispatcher to order the right compressor next time?” “What could I do to change our company?” These types of questions empower you and make you the responsible person. You’re no longer a victim of your circumstances or others’ decisions; you can help facilitate change.

It’s easier, though, to be the victim. When you’re the victim, there’s no action or responsibility on you’re part. It’s everyone else’s fault. The other people must change, not you. However, you’ll become a person people avoid, shallow and hollow in relationships. Don’t choose the victim path, take responsibility for your actions and demand of yourself higher performance.

September 14, 2014
Nick Meeder

Safety

I know you have to get the job done…but this is dangerous.

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September 7, 2014
Nick Meeder

Paralysis by Analysis

This is the issue we get caught on. There are two good options and you don’t know which one to choose.

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Which one is right?
Which one is my purpose or calling?
Which one will yield the life I desire?
What if I choose the wrong one?
What about the people I’m letting down?
What will they think of me?

These questions will not be answered until a decision to act is made. It is only through action that the questions will have their answer in reality. But to not take action will never give you the answer to your questions. Indecision is what makes people faulter and never move forward.

It’s true, you might make the wrong decision. However, you’re not defined by the failure unless you give it that power over you. Make mistakes, but only make them once and then add to yourself wisdom.

The purpose of analysis is to come to a conclusion. Don’t get stuck in analysis. Make a decision.

PS – Making a decision can involve delaying a decision. The amount of time should be proportional to the weight of the choice. However, set a deadline and stick to it.

August 31, 2014
Nick Meeder

Be Faithful in the Little Things

Too often we want the promotion or the business to grow now. Few things, though, ever happen right now.

Consistently being faithful and responsible in the small things that you do now will determine where you go, or the promotion in the future.

I used to be critical of the company and my managers that I worked for. I thought that I could do things better. However, the responsibilities I did have, I was not being faithful in. When I realized this, I stopped complaining about the company and my managers and focused on being excellent at the “small things” I was responsible for.

If you don’t develop a habit of being faithful in the little things, then how or who will trust you with bigger or weightier things?