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Some ideas for success in businesses I have seen and consulted with in the past, not just my business, I have worked with several companies that are large, profitable and dominate their market. One of the first concepts that I learned was that a positive attitude is essential today. Inc magazine just posted the Top 7 Reasons People Get Fired (http://www.inc.com/john-white/here-are-the-top-7-reasons-people-get-fired-are-you-guilty-of-any-of-them.html) . Number 2 was getting negative. Business is tough enough without an employee adding to the misery, so don’t get caught up in office politics. Remain positive, more flies are caught with honey than an anvil. The exact quote escapes me, but you see where I am going.

Second concept is that we all need a mentor and a coach. No matter how long you have been in business, how large or small you are, a mentor and a coach can prove to be helpful. There is a difference. Ram Charan, in his business book The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company, says;

“What is the difference between coaching and mentoring? A. Coaching generally has to do with success in the current position, with some emphasis—say, 10 to 15 percent—on the next position. Mentoring is the reverse. Most of the emphasis is on the future, probably 80 to 85 percent; only 15 to 20 percent is focused on current performance.” So could one person fill both positions? Possible, but most find it is helpful to have two separate groups to work with. We see this today in mixed groups, where the group acts as a coach, helping other group members to improve processes and systems. In many cases the person who helped you get into the business (maybe the one you bought the business from) can be a mentor. They know what is going to happen next, sort of like your grandparents. They might not know how to order from Netflix, but they do know what happens when you ignore your teenagers for extended length of time.
Several quotes from How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, a pioneer in human relations and how we can influence others.

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” So quit talking about yourself, ask them about them.

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.” Human beings all make decisions the same way, emotionally, then we justify it with logic.

“Personally I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted. I didn’t bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or grasshopper in front of the fish and said: “Wouldn’t you like to have that?”
Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people?” Ask the customer questions that reveal what they think is important, not what you think is critical. You may say, I wouldn’t do that; it actually doesn’t matter what you would do, it is not your house, not your decision. Some would say, not my circus, not my monkeys!

One final quote from the same book that is somewhat debatable, since it is over 80 years old.

“about 15 percent of one’s financial success is due to one’s technical knowledge and about 85 percent is due to skill in human engineering—to personality and the ability to lead people.” Some say it is dated, and we are in a new time where this doesn’t apply.

But according to Joy Jefferson, in the book published in 2014;

“About 15 percent of one’s financial success is due to one’s technical knowledge and about 85 percent is due to skill in human engineering—to personality and the ability to lead people. It’s absolutely great to be knowledgeable but without personal and communication skills this will get you nowhere. If you want to be successful you have to learn how to best interact with people from all walks in life. Social skills and good interactions go a long way.”
― Joy Jefferson, Carnegie: Carnegie, 70 Greatest Life Lessons 

So it may still be relevant, even in these turbulent times. This is actually good news, since we don’t have to be a master in the trade to be involved. We do need to know where to get technical answers, but the most critical element may be our ability to work with others.

So get your team on the same page, get them skills to help with the interactions they will find in the marketplace. Today the customer is rushed, skeptical, frustrated, and financially troubled. Much going on that they have no control over, it can be overwhelming. Throw in a unit that is down, a hot or cold house, they just may be over the edge. Make sure your team understands how frustrating it could be to come home to a home that is not comfortable, and do not let them say: I understand how you feel, unless they have come home to a hot house. It is OK to say: that would be frustrating, let me go to work, and get to a solution as soon as possible. Smile with honesty and integrity, the customer has a filter that fake smiles will not go thru. And when you ask questions, shut up and listen, you may just hear a clue to what they want from the relationship.

An estimated 12 percent of the water that supplies U.S. houses is wasted on leaks, spilling more than 775 billion gallons of water each year, according to the 2016 Residential End Uses of Water study. March 20-26 is Fix a Leak Week—an EPA-WaterSense awareness initiative—and FloLogic, makers of an intelligent leak detection device, urges residents to take pragmatic and technological steps toward fighting the resource waste and financial burden of plumbing leaks.

Water’s relative low cost creates a common misperception that leaking fixtures are harmless. In fact, among the more than 23,000 houses that participated in the recent water use study, 10 percent were found to waste at least 90 gallons of water each day with leaks. In most cases, leaks either visibly or stealthily go down the drain, or are absorbed into the ground, without damage to property. These so-perceived benign leaks are most commonly found in plumbing fixtures. But even the smallest leaks add up. A slow, two-drip-per-second leak will produce 77 gallons of water in just one week.

“Most homeowners don’t have the awareness or mechanisms to detect leaks,” according to Chuck DeSmet, CEO and Founder of FloLogic, whose FloLogic System features smart leak detection and automatic water shut-off for preventing water damage to property. “But there are common places where leaks often present themselves, where inspections will reveal opportunities to save water. And for homeowners who care to catch every leak in real time, and prevent potentially catastrophic damage, there are innovative detection devices that flag leaks to automatically stop them.”

Leaks that don’t go directly into the drain or ground are more troublesome and also common. Leaks from ruptured supply lines or damaged pipes and fittings strike up to eight percent of homes each year, according to a U.S. Housing Study. While these leaks typically get fixed upon discovery to prevent costly damage, when they go undetected, due to out-of-sight location or the resident being off premises, they can immediately ruin property, and create a long-term environment for mold.

The total cost of home plumbing leaks is difficult to measure, but DeSmet points to Insurance Information Institute data that confirms more than $10 billion in water loss claims are paid out in the U.S. each year, and suggests the real cost is much higher, without even factoring in excessive water utility bills. “Water is a powerful force and even small drips onto home infrastructures can cause many thousands in damage within a short period of time. While leaks are the second leading contributor of home insurance payouts, our studies indicate more than half of damage-inducing leaks are never reported to insurance.”

For Fix a Leak Week, FloLogic urges everyone to consider practical tips to find and stop water leaks:

• Check the water bill: A family of four will typically use 12,000 gallons (16 centum cubic feet) per month. Usage in excess of this amount indicates a likely leak.
• Check toilets: Warn-out flappers are a primary water waster. Listen for toilets that refill between flushes. Find slow leaks by dropping food coloring in tanks; if the bowl takes color without a flush, there’s a leak.
• Check interior faucets: Drips from sink and tub faucets, and showerheads, are easy to spot, but often ignored. Repair or replace warn parts to curb water-wasting drips.
• Look outside: Outside hose or irrigation system leaks are often overlooked. Check for drips and moist ground during dry weather to find preventable leaks.
• Get leak detection: A flow-based leak detection device, such as that offered from flologic.com will detect leaks as small as a drip per second and automatically shut them off. While the primary function of FloLogic is to prevent property damage, it has the added benefit of flagging hidden leaks to save natural resources and money on water bills.

About FloLogic, Inc.
FloLogic is a technology company whose patented smart water valve enables home and business owners to reduce or eliminate the economic and personal losses associated with plumbing failures and leaks. Plumbing related property damage costs the insurance industry billions of dollars each year and is the single most preventable homeowner claim. While preventing leak damage, the Company is affecting the 12 percent of water that is wasted each year due to plumbing leaks. The FloLogic System is succinctly known as “the circuit breaker for every plumbing system®.” More information can be found at www.flologic.com.

About Fix a Leak Week

Fix a Leak Week is an annual event first launched in 2009 by WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). WaterSense seeks to protect our water supply through water-saving education and products. The WaterSense label can be found on a variety of plumbing products that meet standards for reducing water waste. Educational materials can be found at https://www3.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/howto.html.

About the Residential End Uses of Water Study

The Residential End Uses of Water Study was created by the Water Research Foundation and combines data on water use that is collected across 23 study sites, including 23,749 homes. The second volume of the study was published in April 2016 and can be viewed at http://www.waterrf.org/PublicReportLibrary/4309A.pdf.

“We’re lending money we don’t have to kids who can’t pay it back, to train them for jobs that no longer exist. That’s nuts.” – Mike Rowe.

It’s ironic that, in an election year when one of the hot-button topics is government-funded college tuition, awareness of the trade industries’ skills-gap has come full circle. Despite good pay and outstanding prospects for job placement, trade school is still far outshined by a four-year degree, in the eye of the public at least.

Swarms of high school graduates flock toward universities, often spending six figures over the following few years.

After graduating from college, the lucky ones – or the ones that narrowly focused on a specialized degree – join the job force immediately to employ what they’ve learned. As is all too often the case though, some grads take low-paying jobs or return home and remain unemployed while they wait for an opening in their field.

Of the young adults who ignore societal pressure to seek college enrollment, some join the workforce right away. Others enlist in the Armed Forces. And some number opt for tech school or seek an apprenticeship with service companies.

One thing is certain: the number of willing, able young men and women entering the trades is well short of the number needed. There’s a company in Arizona that has had just about enough of it, and decided to intervene.

Champion of the trades

George Brazil was always an advocate of introducing young people to the trades. The late Brazil, who founded the George Brazil Plumbing company in 1955, recognized the need for new talent, and a steady stream of it, long before the issue gained national attention.

“It was George’s longtime goal to create a school for plumbing service and repair technicians here in the Phoenix area,” said Lavern Burk, technical training and safety manager for the 60-person plumbing and electrical firm. “Unfortunately, George passed away in 2012, before that dream was realized.”

But Patricia Brazil was adamant that her husband’s passion be realized, and in 2015, she succeeded. Mrs. Brazil and George Brazil President, Marc Erpenbeck, conducted research and interviewed with a number of existing trade schools throughout the Southwest before selecting one to host the George Brazil School of Plumbing Service and Repair.

“We wanted to make sure the school would be training service plumbers to be the best they can be, so that they care more for their customers than they do for themselves, and that they are constantly trying to be everything that George would have wanted,” Pat said.

Ultimately, the nearby East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) was chosen. It was selected not because of its proximity to George Brazil Plumbing & Electrical, but rather for its consistent reputation of excellence. Until recently, EVIT has offered a variety of trade courses, but plumbing repair wasn’t on the list.

“It’s an extreme compliment that Pat Brazil would put her faith in us to deliver the high standard that is the tradition of their company,” said EVIT Superintendent Sally Downey. Once the decision was made, a renovation of existing floor space at EVIT – previously a fashion design classroom and lab – began promptly.

While George Brazil’s vision was the catalyst for the new school, support for the new program came, and continues to come, from a variety of sources.

Team effort

But it isn’t all about George Brazil, as numerous plumbing companies, suppliers and manufacturers have become involved and are instrumental to the future success of the school.

“The result is unsurpassed training with affordable tuition,” said Burk. “As far as I’m aware, this is the only plumbing service and repair program in the country.”

Of great importance, Donley Plumbing provided substantial labor and design help from the very beginning, and its operations manager, Carl Bartoli, has been an instrumental member of the team. Brewer Plumbing donated a lot of material during initial setup of the facility, and the local Benjamin Franklin franchise was generous with water treatment equipment and manpower during setup. Manufacturers Delta, Laco, and many others sent product directly and have representatives on the advisory board.

“Support came from every link in the supply chain, too,” said Burk. “We’ve been long-time customers of Southwestern Mechanical Sales and Central Arizona Supply because of their outstanding service and great product lines. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when they stepped up to the plate, but they carried a lot more than their own weight on this project.”

Through Southwestern Mechanical Sales and Central Arizona Supply, Bradford White Water Heaters supplied numerous tank-type units for the school. At least one of each residential model was delivered to the school.

“As the singular wholesale-only manufacturer of tank-type water heaters in America, Bradford White immediately took a keen interest in this,” said Val Galvan, executive VP at SW Mechanical Sales. “We were happy to facilitate, and Central Arizona Supply delivered more than $100,000 worth of their water heaters.”

“For at least half a century, the trades have been viewed as a ‘Plan B’ for high school seniors,” said Carl Pinto, director of marketing at Bradford White. What’s wrong with a job that allows you to work equally with your head and your hands, while providing great pay and job security? What we need to do is help the trades regain a ‘Plan A’ status.”

The many water heaters arrived in February of 2016, at the tail end of the renovation that turned numerous classrooms into a state-of-the-art training facility. By August 2015, classes were in session, with 10 young adults attending evening classes.

From the ground up

EVIT offers over 40 career and technical education programs to high school students and adults, but before collaborating with George Brazil, plumbing wasn’t on the list. And the school didn’t have plumbing-specific classrooms available.

Over the summer of 2015, the George Brazil team was tasked with providing a concept for the new classroom spaces at EVIT. They developed a module design including 14 stations, each with a large bathroom and kitchen. With 40 inches of space below the station floor, and all with working (wet) components, they constructed modules that would accurately simulate the type of situations that techs will find themselves in while working in typical southwestern homes.

To create a curriculum for the George Brazil School of Plumbing Service and Repair, EVIT collaborated with management from George Brazil, as well as Bartoli of Donley Services. They borrowed from the NCCER plumbing curriculum, added much of their own content, and used some course material that’s available to them through their PHCC (Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association) membership. After completing the 620 hours of training, conducted only during evening hours, technicians are NCCER accredited.

Currently, the course has 10 students, many of which are currently employed at local plumbing companies. The hope is to enroll 30 new participants in the coming year.

“Everyone at George Brazil wants this to be the Harvard, Stanford or Yale of plumbing schools,” said Burk. “Not all applicants are accepted. Good moral character, high ethical standards, and the ability to communicate well are important traits, or prerequisites. Candidates should be trainable, and have the desire to become one of the best plumbers in the industry.”

It was Brazil’s dream to start a school that continued his legacy of professionalism and premium customer service. Now, nearly through the school’s first year, there’s little doubt his wish will be fulfilled. 

Sidebar: Trade Organizations Tackle Labor Shortfall

Even before Pat Brazil led the company to founding the George Brazil School of Plumbing Service and Repair, George Brazil was working to expanding the awareness of the trades in the Phoenix area.

As PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association) members, the managers at George Brazil have a lot of community outreach tools and resources available.

“Our concept is to think nationally, while acting locally,” said Cindy Sheridan, COO of PHCC’s Educational Foundation. “We provide all the materials and messaging for contractors to promote the trades in their territories. It’s all made possible by our contractor and manufacturer members.”

Bradford White is a sponsor of PHCC’s “Meeting the Workforce Challenge Resource Guide”, which includes everything from PowerPoint presentations and fliers to career day materials and templates to send letters to PTAs.

“We’ve been talking about workforce [shortage] for a while,” continued Sheridan. “Aside from a year or two during the recession, our members have said that the workforce shortage is their biggest challenge for the past decade. We put a taskforce together three to four years ago to address the issue, and it really gained traction in 2013.”

With material and support, PHCC makes it easy to begin making a difference locally, but contractors and trade schools need to provide the manpower. The boots on the ground need to come from the local trades.

“What we’re doing is working to change the public image of the trades,” said Sheridan. “We’re showing educators, parents and students all the outstanding opportunities that the trades provide. There are already quite a few big success stories, especially in Indiana, Tennessee and Indiana.”

Thanks to organizations like PHCC, Bradford White and George Brazil aren’t alone in the battle to win new plumbing & HVAC technicians. For more information, visit www.phccweb.org/workforce

Have you ever wanted to do something really bad? Go with me to 1975, I was working for Meridian Air Conditioning company in lovely Indianapolis, IN. I was selling residential and commercial HVAC, some new construction, some replacement. But this is not about me. It is about Francis Mulhall. He worked with us as a lead generator. He would run all over town to pick up blueprints, deliver spec books, inquire about new jobs coming up, visited with general contractors, large businesses, guys doing tenant improvement work, in short, anyone who may be in need of a good Hvac company. Francis was a great guy, always had your back, if he could help you, he would.

About the second year of working with him, he shared a life-long desire with me: he really wanted to ride in a blimp! So who doesn’t; they are majestic, quiet, and move with a slow grace. When someone asks, how hard is it to get a ride on the Blimp, here is the official answer. Almost impossible. The website says only to corporate sponsors and government officials.

Francis had the dream, he also had a plan. The Goodyear Blimp came to Indy each year to float over the 500. Francis knew where they docked it, when it came in, how long it stayed. He found out the phone number for Goodyear Blimps, and the local address when they were in town. He camped out, called repeatedly. The call went like this: I want a Blimp ride! The response: are you a government official? If you are one of our corporate sponsors, call the person who works with our corporate team. Francis said I am not in either category, just a guy who wants a Blimp ride.

After the first year, it was easier. He knew when to call, when they were available. And he connected up with some of the office staff.  Remember, this is in the 70s, before internet and cell phones, so it was a lot harder to link up. He learned the schedule of the Blimp, they would make runs over the city for several days before the race. Sometimes they went up with dignitaries, important people. Francis would be sure he was in the vicinity when a practice run was taking off. He would stop by the airport, be available. Francis always wore a coat and tie, which I think was a factor.

A factor in getting a ride on the Blimp. Somewhere about the 3^rd or 4^th year, he was at the airport where they had docked the Blimp, getting ready to take off again. Francis was talking to a guard, letting him know he was in the system, but probably number 2345, where they would take less than a dozen at a time. Turns out on this special day, someone did not show up. An employee came out, said: are you ready? UH, YES! He got his ride. Said it was magical. Some sound when you take off, but once up in the air, at times it was silent, almost no sound at all. They circled around the city for what seemed like hours, probably only 45 min. Francis was thrilled.

When he shared that with me, he still had his “what an experience” face on. It really meant a lot, as well it should have.

My thoughts today: is there something you have longed to do for some time. We now have a name for these items, call them our bucket list items.   There is even a movie by that title. But I digress.   If you really want it, plan on getting it. Put together a plan; see what it will take, then work hard to achieve that goal. It may be recreational like a Blimp ride. May be focused on business, hitting the next level for your company. Could be personal; lose 15 pounds, bench press 250 lbs. Many of you have received one of my books, just had a distributor rep ask me how the book writing process goes. It goes very slowly, started my first book about 7 or 8 years ago. Actually started 6 of them at the same time, just putting thoughts together in files labeled: Lesson Learned/The Good Stuff/Sales/Never Forget/Motorcycles and so on. Each folder is another book; first two are out, more on the way.

Final note: I had a bucket list item for years, to go to Australia, and have someone pay me to talk. Got that chance about 7 years ago, it was excellent. Will remember that trip for the rest of my life. So today’s article is about setting goals, having those excellent life moments, fulfilling dreams, all the above. Just realize that most of the heavy lifting is up to you. Not many of us will win the lottery; we will have to work for the things we achieve. So start today, make that list, pick out one item to focus on, and put together a plan to achieve it.