Effective leadership starts with great communication. Whether you're setting the tone for a busy season, navigating challenges, or rallying your team around a vision, strong communication skills are essential. Clear, intentional communication enables you to articulate goals, share your vision, and guide your team to success. It also builds trust and fosters stronger relationships, which are key to an engaged, motivated workforce.

For HVAC business owners, mastering communication is a critical part of creating a thriving organization. In this article, we’ll explore five essential areas of communication for leaders and share practical hacks to improve your approach. By refining these skills, you can empower your team, inspire action, and set your business up for success year-round.

Five Things Leaders Communicate

1. Communicating the WHY: Vision, Purpose, and Dream

Your team needs to understand the bigger picture—why their work matters. As Simon Sinek says in Start With Why, “There are only two ways to influence human behavior: Yyou can manipulate it or you can inspire it.”

Clearly communicate your vision and purpose. Whether your dream is growing revenue, becoming the most trusted HVAC provider in your community, or creating a positive workplace culture, ensure your vision aligns with your values.

One of the most important values in my HVAC company has always been “Family.” My husband and I built our business together while raising and prioritizing our family, and supporting the families of our employees. We continually communicate our vision to our team - not only by the words we speak but by our actions.

We have built a company where our employees can make a great wage, have wonderful benefits, and develop the skills to have a successful career. Because this is our “why,” we continue to implement systems and processes that support a healthy work/life balance, resulting in more quality time with their families and a higher quality of life. 

When communicating your vision, it’s essential to balance emotional and logical elements to resonate with your team. Some employees are motivated by emotional connections, while others respond more effectively to logical, fact-based information. Emotions foster engagement and a sense of purpose, while logic reinforces credibility and trust.

Hacks:
- Use storytelling to create an emotional connection—share personal experiences or customer success stories that highlight your vision’s impact.
- Complement emotional appeals with logical data, such as metrics or benchmarks, to demonstrate measurable progress and build trust in your leadership.

2. Communicating the WHAT: Goals and Desired Outcomes

Once your team understands the "why," articulate the "what." Be specific about the goals you want to achieve. Whether it’s improving efficiency, growing revenue, or increasing customer satisfaction, make the desired outcomes clear and measurable.

Before you can communicate the “what,” you have to clearly define “what” your goals are. These can start company wide, and should get more specific for each department. 

Examples include:
Revenue goals.
Average ticket per job type.
Number of jobs needed (service, maintenance, sales, and install).
5-Star reviews.
Conversion rates.

At the beginning of every month, our entire team meets together to discuss our monthly revenue goals and how they break down by each department. We are very clear on how many jobs need to be completed for each department and the average ticket needed for each job type. The goals and outcomes are clearly displayed, and reinforced in weekly department meetings.  

Hacks: 
- Simplify complex ideas into actionable goals.
- Conduct efficient meetings by preparing an agenda and sticking to it. Ensure every meeting adds value.

3. Communicating the WHEN: Deadlines and Expectations

Effective communication includes setting clear timelines and expectations. Whether you’re launching a new service offering, completing a major project, or improving internal processes, your team needs to know the timing. Ambiguity can lead to frustration and missed opportunities.

Early on in our business, we hired a success coach to help us create an annual revenue budget complete with a plan to execute. This plan included timelines throughout the year to support the complexities of our business. We knew that in the summer, we would need to add three more service technicians to hit our goals. We were then able to work backwards to plan for interviewing, hiring, and training, along with purchasing new vans and preparing them for the field. 

Never assume your team knows what you’re thinking. Over communicate to ensure clarity and alignment. Use multiple methods—such as one-on-one meetings, group discussions, emails, and internal messaging platforms like Slack—to reinforce your message. Consistency prevents misunderstandings and keeps everyone on the same page.

Develop a communication strategy to ensure consistency. Include guidelines on how and when to communicate key messages. Use tools like Zoom for virtual meetings, Slack for quick updates, and email for detailed information. A multi-channel approach keeps everyone informed and engaged.

Hacks:
- Be clear and concise.
- Deliver deadlines when and where your team is most receptive.

4. Communicating the HOW: Strategies to Inspire Action

Your team looks to you for guidance on how to achieve their goals. You may not have all of the answers and know exactly “how” to reach the desired goals. However, you can offer resources and training that can provide actionable strategies that break down the steps needed to succeed. Inspire confidence by showing the path forward and reinforcing your belief in their abilities.

I remember when my husband asked me to take over the marketing for our company. I didn’t have any marketing experience, but I was educated and very creative. He believed I could learn and develop a solid marketing strategy for our company. We invested in a marketing boot camp where I learned marketing strategies, tactics and messaging. His support and guidance allowed me to gain the resources and tools I needed to be successful. Marketing became one of my passions, and I was able to create engaging campaigns that increased our visibility and reputation in the community.

When you have specific strategies and systems that you are ready to implement, take time to prepare learning materials, and set aside adequate time for learning and practicing. Your team consists of individuals with varied learning and communication styles. Tailor your communication to meet their needs:

Visual Learners: Use charts, graphs, and visuals in presentations.
Auditory Learners: Communicate through discussions and verbal explanations.
Readers: Provide detailed emails or written instructions.
Kinesthetic Learners: Include hands-on activities or role -playing in training sessions.

Hacks:
- Be present in conversations.
- Encourage feedback from your team. Open communication builds trust and helps identify gaps in understanding.
- Show humility—acknowledge that you’re open to learning from your team’s insights.

5. Communicating the WHO: Recognizing Your Team

Leadership is about people. The quickest way to move forward is with a team, so it’s important to build relationships with your team members. Take time to invest in your people. Learn about them, serve them, and help them grow. Show them that you care about them individually, and that you’re invested in helping them be successful in your company. 

Early on in our HVAC business, I was wearing many hats and feeling quite overwhelmed.  I realized the power of small gestures when a technician thought I was upset with them simply because I failed to greet them. My heart dropped because that was not my intention at all. My day-to-day work had so consumed me that I failed to acknowledge one of my valued employees. 

From that day on, I have made it a priority to walk through the building and say hello to every one of my team members when I arrive at the office.  These small actions build trust and show employees they matter.

One of the most impactful messages a leader can convey is how valuable their team members are. Let your team know why they are the right people to achieve your vision. 

There is so much power in one-on-one meetings with your direct reports. Use that time to build your connection, listen to their needs, and guide them towards meeting their personal and professional goals.

Hacks: 
- Demonstrate gratitude for your team members regularly.
- Use one-on-one conversations to connect, highlight individual strengths and contributions, and guide team members toward their goals.
- Reinforce sincerity with positive body language and eye contact.

Conclusion

Leadership is an ongoing journey, and communication is its cornerstone. By mastering these five key areas, tailoring your approach to individual learning styles, and applying practical hacks, you’ll inspire trust, motivate your team, and drive success in your HVAC business. Strong communication isn’t just about sharing information—it’s about empowering your team and creating an environment where everyone thrives.

For more information and guidance to help your team achieve a 7-star level of customer service, visit www.SnowBusinessCoaching.com or give Angie a call at (801) 477-0064. Follow Angie on LinkedIn for more great tips at https://www.linkedin.com/in/angiesnowsuccesscoach/