If you’ve read my last two articles, you may have noticed a trend. I’ve shared mentorship moments in my own HVAC career that had a significant influence on my life. They’re what I like to refer to as “hinge moments.” Large doors can swing open or closed on small hinges. Small moments in our lives can work similarly and often have a large influence down the road that we may not recognize at the time.
In 1994, I couldn’t imagine that starting up three WaterFurnace Premier 2 geothermal heat pumps would cement a legacy in my mind for two men who barely knew me. With their help, I confronted my doubts and fears as a young tech when my options were limited. Of all the mentorship lessons I’ve experienced, this was one of the most significant.
When Magicians Disappear
In 1994, life was great. I had just gotten married and had it pretty easy at work. I was fresh out of vocational school and still had a lot to learn, so I bounced back and forth between installation and service. My dad’s lead tech took care of any difficult service problems, plus I got to ride shotgun with him a lot. One of his roles was doing geothermal heat pump system startups, which I frequently helped him with.
I could handle the installation, wiring, and loop flushing, but that was about it. Once the startup and commissioning took place, I just sat back and watched. Everything going on inside the equipment was too intimidating. I knew what the basic components were and how they operated in an air-to-air heat pump, but I had a mental block when I heard the word “geothermal.”
There was a large circuit board serving as the brains of the WaterFurnace Premier 2 series unit. It scared me because I had no idea how it worked, and I didn’t want to know. All I knew was that my dad’s lead tech could make the equipment do anything he wanted with a few jumper wires and dip switch changes. It was like watching a magician work as he ran through the system checks and had me capture the readings.
Like most good things, that came to an end. My dad’s lead WaterFurnace magician got an incredible job offer that would really help his family, so he accepted it. Once we knew for certain he was leaving, Dad and I had a tough conversation. We both knew there was a 10,000-square-foot home with three WaterFurnace Premier 2 package units that would need to be started up in the next month.
Dad asked me if I could handle it, and I squeaked back, “I guess so” while my stomach slowly turned inside out. I knew I wasn’t ready, and I think deep down, Dad did, too. Because of fear and complacency, I had missed a priceless opportunity to learn from a brilliant technician. Now the entire company would suffer the consequences of my choices.
The Territory Sales Manager I’ll Never Forget
Thankfully, Dad’s WaterFurnace territory sales manager visited him the following day. Tim Wright, the current CEO of Enertech Global LLC, was our territory sales manager in 1994. When Dad explained our circumstances to Tim, he immediately picked up the phone and called WaterFurnace headquarters to get us the help we needed.
Tim stepped in because he knew how important it was for us to succeed. I’m thankful for the compassion he had for me and our situation that day. Within a few minutes, we had the field technical representative for our area scheduled the following week to work an entire day with me to get those three WaterFurnace units commissioned.
For those of you who know Tim Wright, this story probably doesn’t surprise you. He represents what is good and right in our industry. We need more people like him — those who care about others and will help them without asking anything in return. Even though retired from the industry, my dad still talks about Tim and how good he was to us. Tim always went the extra mile, past the requirements of his position.
Each day, we can make a difference in someone’s life through small acts of kindness. However, this often means going beyond the expectations of your role. It could even put you in an uncomfortable position. I know it was tough for Tim to call and put in that request, but he did it anyway. People might not always remember what we say, but they will remember how we treated them.
The Field Technical Representative Comes to Town
The week passed by quickly. Mark Wiseman, the field technical representative for WaterFurnace, arrived, and it was time for us to go to the job site. Although I didn’t know what to expect from Mark, he had a great attitude that put me at ease. Most importantly, I didn’t feel like he was judging me.
Once we arrived at the job site, we unloaded everything needed to start up and commission the systems. Mark recommended that I grab a notebook and take a lot of notes on what he was going to do. Then, he would turn over the second system to me as he supervised. Finally, on the third system, he would support me as needed as I walked through and did the entire startup myself. As we worked through each unit, my confidence slowly improved.
Before working with Mark, I was scared to death of the circuit board and equipment startup. But he gave me the confidence boost I needed. Mark took the time to explain things to me and show me where I could find the information I needed in the manual. He made it easy to learn from him. I still have the notes I took that day, along with the startup manual.
If you’re a senior tech mentoring younger techs, ask yourself: How do you work with them? Do you use an approach like the one Mark used with me? Or are you impatient and dismissive to those entrusted to you?
Time Provides Clarity and Context
When Dad’s lead tech left, it felt like the worst day of my HVAC life. However, it ended up being the day I finally learned to start believing in myself as an HVAC technician. I felt confident enough to try things without the fear of failure and perfectionism whispering in my ear. It was when I decided to become a lifelong learner, and I started absorbing all the technical manuals I could at night. Something about this event knocked me out of my complacency and woke me up.
Tim Wright saw me drowning and didn’t give me swimming lessons. He could have scolded me for being a slacker who procrastinated and didn’t take advantage of the opportunity I had to learn from our lead tech. But Tim didn’t take that option. Instead, he had compassion and threw me the life preserver I needed.
Then, Mark Wiseman gave me permission to grab that life preserver and the confidence to swim instead of flailing around and gasping for air. The pattern he used to teach me that day would serve as the foundation for how I would teach others who joined our family company. It set the foundation I would one day use to conduct and format my field training at National Comfort Institute (NCI).
Everyone needs mentors in their lives, even if just for one day, to set the right example. Today, you might be the one who needs a mentor, but soon enough, you may be called upon to step up and be a mentor. Each day, you decide what your legacy will be, whether you want to or not. You can either be a mentor for others to emulate or an example of who not to be like. It’s your choice.