The best contractors in the HVACR industry have figured out something that changes everything: leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about making your people better.
At ACCA 2025, three leadership sessions revealed what separates companies with loyal, high-performing teams from those stuck in the endless cycle of hiring and rehiring: Leaders focus on growing people instead of just managing employees.
ACCA members can watch ACCA 2025 sessions anytime here.
Shift from finding employees to growing talent
Bryan Dodge opened his session “Coaching Leadership: Producing More Innovative Ideas and Loyalty” with a perspective shift most contractors need: “How do you find and keep good employees? You don’t.”
The better question is: “How do you attract and grow good people?”
Dodge explains that successful companies treat talent development like they treat lead generation—as a daily practice, not a one-time event. They build recruitment pipelines. They track potential employees over months or even years. They know some people are ready now, some in six months, some in two years.
The mindset shift: Stop trying to fill positions. Start building careers.
“Grow your people. You’ll grow everything around you,” Dodge said.
Give them purpose, not just paychecks
Here’s what keeps people from leaving: growth, purpose, and feeling understood.
Twenty-eight percent of employees quit in the last two years due to mental health reasons—stress, burnout, depression, and lack of motivation.
The solution isn’t more money. It’s creating an environment where people feel like they’re building something meaningful. In his session “How to Master the Language of Successful Leadership,” Dodge noted that keeping employees means understanding that “people are coming for a calling, a purpose, and a portfolio.”
Watch “Coaching Leadership: Producing More Innovative Ideas and Loyalty” here.
Three ways to create that environment:
- Put people in positions where they succeed. “Do not put people in a position that fills your needs. Put people in positions where they can succeed,” Dodge emphasized. Burnout happens when someone spends 80% of their day doing work they’re not good at. When you match people to roles that use their strengths, they get energized instead of drained. Having the right conversations with candidates during interviews is a good start.
- Connect their work to their life goals. Dodge shared a story about a technician who wanted land. A meaningful conversation revealed that his goal wasn’t about cattle or horses—it was about building a place for his parents to retire. “Now we’ve been working with him and helping in that process,” Dodge said. When you help people achieve personal goals through their career, they become untouchable to competitors.
- Make goals a responsibility. “Goals are a responsibility, not an option,” Dodge explained. When your team has clear goals tied to personal growth and professional development, they’re not just working a job—they’re building a future. With their permission, hold them accountable. After helping someone create a plan, Dodge asks: “Is it okay if you allow me to hold you accountable?” This shifts the dynamic from boss-employee to coach-teammate.
Watch “How to Master the Language of Successful Leadership” here.
Adaptable leadership wins the future
Industry advisor and success coach Angie Snow reminded attendees in her “Adaptable Leadership” session that the pace of change has never been faster—and it’s never going to be this slow again.
The HVACR industry is facing massive shifts: AI, changing customer expectations, remote work, and a workforce that values balance over overtime.
“We live in a time where we need leadership more than ever before,” Snow said.
How to lead through uncertainty:
- Stay open to new ideas. Just because something doesn’t make sense today doesn’t mean it won’t be critical tomorrow. Snow admitted she initially resisted investing in online reviews. Now it’s a competitive advantage. “We adapted early, and it helped us get way above our competitors.”
- Communicate earlier and longer. When Snow sold her business to private equity in 2021, she didn’t spring it on her team overnight. She communicated early with core team members, explained how the change would benefit them, and kept that message consistent. That transparency paid off. Not one person left.
- Lead with empathy and clarity. Your people are struggling more now than ever. Everyone on your team is dealing with something—health issues, financial stress, relationship problems. Create safe spaces where they can share. Show you care about them as people, not just employees. But also be crystal clear with expectations so they know how to succeed.
Watch “Adaptable Leadership” here.
Master the language that builds loyalty and develops leaders
Most leaders talk at their teams. Great leaders communicate with them.
Dodge broke down three practices that transform communication:
- Hear it out. Feed it back. Question its importance. When someone brings you a problem, don’t interrupt with solutions. Hear them completely, repeat what they said to confirm understanding, then ask if it’s truly important. Most problems dissolve when people feel heard.
- Use the PSC formula. When someone comes to you with a problem, have them identify the Problem, return with three possible Solutions, and make a Choice on which solution to implement. “Now you’re developing leaders with mindsets that think things forward,” Dodge said. You’re teaching them to solve problems, not just report them.
- Build up; don’t tear down. Before Dodge listens to any complaint about another team member, he asks, “Is this building Bob up or tearing Bob down?” If it’s tearing down, the conversation ends. This simple rule changes culture fast.
The real work: intentional coaching conversations
Both Dodge and Snow emphasized that the companies winning right now have moved beyond traditional “boss” leadership to coaching leadership.
What coaching looks like in practice:
Have regular one-on-ones focused on them, not you. Snow recommends sending check-in questions before meetings: “How do you feel about your work? Your wellbeing? Your growth? What challenges are you facing? This gives you a pulse on how they’re really doing.”
Dodge echoed this sentiment: “Before you can lead, you must understand that the relationship is more important than the issues. Talk about life, not just work.”
What this means for your HVACR business
Leadership that retains great people isn’t about control. It’s about growth. It’s about creating an environment where people feel understood, challenged, and supported.
“You cannot give people on your team the dignity they deserve unless you believe in them first,” Dodge said. That’s the foundation. Believe in them, invest in them, and watch them become the loyal, high-performing team you’ve been trying to hire.
The businesses that will thrive in the next decade won’t be the ones who pay the most. They’ll be the ones that grow people the best.
Missed a session? ACCA members can access all ACCA 2025 recordings here.
Want more leadership insights like these? Join us at ACCA 2026 in Las Vegas, March 15-18, for sessions that help you build stronger teams and grow your business. Register now at acca2026.com.
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