Lessons From Outside the Comfort Zone

It's easy to get comfortable by continuing to align your daily tasks with what's familiar. I was a victim of this cycle for many years until I realized that I wanted a change. Since I was young, I preferred blending in rather than being in the spotlight. At parties, I would look for a safe, familiar face and hope we could spend the night in the corner of the room catching up. The last thing I wanted to do was strike up awkward conversations with new people and worry about making a good first impression. I never really read too far into it, but looking back, I believe some may consider this a form of social anxiety.

This may be hard to believe, especially because in a previous life I was a musician and regularly played on stage in front of large crowds. Performing was a way for me to disconnect from reality. It was how I could express myself without using words and stumbling through an awkward conversation. I was with my closest friends (my band mates), which gave me the courage I needed to face the crowds.

Over the years, I've learned how to fake my way through social interactions. However, I sometimes wonder whether others buy my act or can see through the mask I've come to rely on.

Technical Minds

I believe that other technical people can relate to me. They feel more comfortable surrounded by mechanical equipment in the basement or on a rooftop than interacting with customers. I have heard countless commercial HVAC technicians say that one reason they prefer commercial work is that they don't have to deal with homeowners. That statement makes me wonder whether it's easier to climb on a roof and work in extreme weather than to interact with others.

Generally speaking, commercial work lacks customer interaction. You don't have as many awkward conversations about what is wrong with the equipment and how much you're going to charge to repair it. 

I wonder how much social anxiety plays a part in the success of residential companies. How many technicians would prefer fixing the immediate problem, rather than having an uncomfortable conversation about all of the other issues that exist in their customers' homes? I know I struggled with it, and I bet others take the easy way out to avoid uncomfortable interactions. 

Overcoming the AHR EXPO

I have spent the past few months watching the days fly by while stressing over all my work obligations at this conference. If you have never been to AHR, it is one of the largest HVAC conferences in the world, which can be overwhelming for people operating with a limited social battery. My schedule consisted of conducting four podcasts, doing countless booth interviews, and being part of NCI's High-Performance HVAC Hangout, which is geared toward networking with contractors and other industry professionals.

About a week before the conference, I was asked to moderate a workforce development panel featuring a handful of industry professionals. The audience consisted of high school students enrolled in technical programs and aspiring to become future tradespeople.

Being asked to moderate the panel was an honor, but it also added a great deal of stress to my week. This type of event is normally something that I would spend the entire day motivating myself to do. But my other responsibilities didn't allow for this type of mental preparation.