There are probably several reasons you decided to open your own hvacr contracting business. For many, being a business owner is the American dream. And not having to answer to anyone but you is truly attractive to any hard worker. 

Done well, small businesses can thrive and grow. The only problem: There is only one of you. Sure you have employees, but you are the only one who understands the customer, knows the right technical solutions, executes the proper marketing campaigns, manages the company finances without fail. . . the list goes on and on. 

You ask yourself, How can I grow the business if I can’t be a part of every single decision? The answer: Stop micromanaging and start delegating. 

Trusting employees to do their jobs doesn’t make you less of a manager; it makes you a better manager. 

“In today’s economy, success depends on innovation and the ability to adapt to change. Neither of these qualities is possible if employees are not trusted to do their work,” according to Winning Workplaces, a not-for-profit consulting, training and information firm located in Evanston, Ill., that helps small and midsize organizations create great workplaces. “Micromanagement stifles creativity and fosters an atmosphere of rigidity. The best organizations create a partnership with their employees, engaging them in the problem-solving and decision-making processes.” 

Winning Workplaces notes that the most effective organizations create a culture of trust with accountability. Employees should know what is expected of them and be given the autonomy and tools necessary to meet those expectations.  

Behaviors That Diminish Trust  

It’s safe to say that most managers don’t set out to diminish trust with their team members, and yet many of them successfully do that every day.  

According to Albuquerque, N.M-based Bresnahan Group, a consulting firm specializing in working with business leaders to achieve a work environment of trust, responsibility, and accountability, there are several common behaviors that diminish trust:  

·        Being solely focused on meeting his or her own needs; usually at the expense of their team member's needs.

·        Using information as a source of power, withholding information from team members in a way that they feel they are not important or trustworthy.

·        Not communicating openly with employees about their performance so they never know where they stand, except for the "surprise" they get at the annual review.

·        Treating mistakes as a crime rather than as a learning experience.

·        Assigning blame without first checking the facts, rather than focusing on solving the problem and learning from it.

·        Avoiding responsibility for their own actions or decisions; it's never their fault when something goes wrong.

·        Treating employees as insignificant by not asking for their input, and not listening when it is offered.  

At some point all of us are guilty of the above behaviors. The key is to recognize the consequences and work toward creating an engaging workplace. Doing so will increase productivity and lessen your burden.