We live and work in an age of disruption and relentless change. Your snow and ice management company must be fast, adaptable, agile, and courageous to succeed in a competitive market. This requires the presence of a deeply important quality: trust.

While trust has always been an essential element in business, it's more important now than ever before. Why? Because without trust, you will never create the deep engagement and sense of safety people need to take risks, disagree, and innovate.

An organization without trust is inefficient and is often stagnant. It experiences many stops and starts, as people wait for the approvals they need and verify that others have done what they said they were going to do. People fear being the one to bring the “bad news.” Problems fester and grow, rather than being promptly addressed. Leaders fear taking the risk to move to something new. All of this results in a sluggish pace and an unhealthy attachment to old business models that can kill a company in today's economy.

Trust, essentially, is the willingness to put oneself at risk based on another individual's actions. Employees must be able to trust leaders—and vice versa—as well as each other. Trust must permeate the entire culture. And because trust begins with leaders, it's important to make sure we're not inadvertently doing things to squelch its presence.

Here are eight common trust-squashing mistakes leaders make.

Mistake #1 Avoiding conflict

In all areas of life, conflict happens. In any organization, people are going to disagree on the best way to do things. Tough decisions must be made, which, inevitably, will make some people happy and others unhappy. From time to time "bad apples" will crop up that need to be dealt with. If you're a leader who avoids conflict at all costs, transparent communication can't occur, productivity falters as decisions take forever to be made, high performers get fed up and leave, and in general you're seen as weak or wishy-washy.

Trust can't flourish in a workplace where leaders perpetually avoid conflict. It's important to come to the understanding that conflict isn't 'bad.' In fact, it's an essential component of innovation, problem-solving, and growth.

Mistake #2 Compliance, not shared goals

Earlier this year United Airlines aggressively removed a passenger from an aircraft, causing a publicity and legal disaster, partly because United employees have been taught to follow the rules to the letter. Emphasis on rigid rule-following can be dangerous. Better to make the end goal crystal clear to everyone and then trust employees to do the right thing.

If the airline had trusted its own employees to make decisions and had given them the flexibility to do what's right for the customer, the incident may have been avoided. Plus, focusing on the end goal provides employees more leeway to adapt in an agile way to changing business conditions.

Mistake #3 Keeping weaknesses a secret

It's tempting (and human) to try to cover up or at least minimize our own shortcomings and mistakes. Yet, we should be doing the exact opposite. The best leaders are those who realize—and are willing to admit—that they don't know it all and aren't "the best" at everything. Plus, people appreciate vulnerability. Not only does revealing our weaknesses make people like and trust you more, it lets them know upfront what to expect, so they can act accordingly.

I was once on a team with a man who confessed that while he was superb at ideation and a master of marketing, the operational side of things was not his strength. He built trust by revealing his weaknesses. Plus, his revelation made the team stronger, because we all knew how to make the best use of his skills.

Mistake #4 Not asking for help

When things go wrong, your impulse may be to keep information to yourself, hoping the problem will go away. This not only damages trust, it vastly reduces the chances that the problem will be resolved quickly, since problems swept under the rug tend to get worse, not better. Better to tell it like it is. Just say, "I've got some bad news to share." You may actually feel a surge of relief just to have said the words. Then explain what the problem is and suggest two or more alternative actions that might be taken to address it.

Jack, the manager of a customer support center, noticed that post-call survey results had plummeted. He knew that several important customer accounts were at risk of defecting. Rather than trying to fix the problem on his own, he brought it up with his peers at the management meeting the next day. "We've got a problem," he said, "but I think it's isolated to customers calling in about our newest product. The procedures for setup and configuration are incomprehensible to both reps and customers. I see two ways to resolve this. We can either stay late the next few nights and rewrite the procedures, or we can ask the product management team if they'd be willing to field calls about this product until they can get the procedures rewritten. I'm open to any other ideas anyone has as well."

The team appreciated Jack's being upfront with them and asking for help. They were happy to pitch in to fix the problem. And not only did his transparency on the issue bolster their trust in him, it showed them that he trusted them as well and valued their input.

Mistake #5 Undercommunicating

In times of uncertainty, it's especially important to communicate. Don't leave people hanging. Where there is a communication void, people will fill it with the worst possible scenario. It's just human nature. It's always better to tell the truth—even when it's bad news—than to be evasive or silent. (And the news almost certainly isn't as bad as what they're imagining.)

Years ago, the manager of the Kimberly-Clark manufacturing facility where I worked announced to all employees that there was a risk of future layoffs. He explained that while the layoffs were not a sure thing, there was a chance that there would be a workforce reduction. In the end, no layoff occurred, but he had done the right thing by revealing all that he knew. By being straight with people, he built trust and allowed them to make the best choices for themselves and their families.

Mistake #6 Not doing what you say you're going to do

This is basic, yet many leaders break their promises as a matter of course. This can have a devastating effect on trust. Trust builds slowly over time, and it takes only one broken promise to lose all the ground you've gained.

If you promise an employee you'll provide the resources she needs to get a project done, and then you leave her in the lurch, why should she work hard for you in the future? She won't. Employees trust us when we act predictably and consistently with what we promise. Think carefully before you make a promise, because it's crucial that you fulfill it, or at least communicate why you are no longer able to do so.

Mistake #7 Believing lack of trust results from a character flaw

Because we all want people to trust us, we feel threatened and ashamed when there is evidence that they don't. As a result, we avoid discussing the subject altogether. We certainly don't explore what we can do to build trust. Lack of trust is not an indictment on your character but rather a simple fact. If we can learn to see the problem objectively, we can take steps to remedy it.

Lisa, a product manager for a software firm, shared, "I'll never forget the time a coworker, Ryan, said, 'I don't trust you,' to me. I felt terrible and wanted to slink away." She took a deep breath and asked him to explain. He said his trust had been damaged by the fact that she had forwarded a report he had drafted on to the boss without checking with him first. He was embarrassed because the report had a few mistakes he had meant to correct. Lisa apologized and took steps to rectify the damage.

Once Lisa and Ryan were able to talk honestly and openly about what was impeding trust, their relationship improved. They now work together more fluidly and efficiently, and their joint projects are getting vastly improved results.

Mistake #8 Thinking that trust will occur on its own

Consider this example: An office furniture company was experiencing sales declines, and each team leader blamed the other functions for the problem. So, the leader had the group spend a morning conducting some simple trust-building exercises. Each team member shared a challenge from their childhood, and others took turns sharing what they appreciated about each other, and what behaviors were getting in the way of success.

One team member was told, "You have an incredible level of creativity, and you always volunteer to help." A few minutes later, when someone shared some less-positive feedback—"You're so eager to contribute that you overcommit and end up not doing everything you said you would"—he was able to understand why his teammates had often complained about him behind his back. Once the issues were out in the open, everyone was able to work together much more productively, and sales results got back on track.

This may seem like a simple, even frivolous exercise, but it did wonders to build trust. The moral is simply that this company took action to break the cycle of finger-pointing and distrust. Most companies just hope problems like this get resolved on their own. That seldom happens.

Of course, leaders are only human and none of us are perfect. You're almost certainly going to recognize some of these mistakes in yourself—and that's okay. We all need to become worthier of the trust of others. Just as every company is on a growth journey, so is every leader and every employee. We all have flaws, but the good news is that when we make a deliberate choice to build trust, our company becomes more successful and a better place to work.

Amanda Setili is president of strategy consulting firm Setili & Assoc.

I know you’ve got something to say or to share about the business of snow and ice management. That’s why this October, Snow Magazine is

Putting pen to paper and participating is a painless process for you would-be editors. Write about 750-1,000 words about an industry-related topic you're passionate about, or a valuable lesson, business practice, or experience you'd like to share with your fellow snow fighters.

Having trouble choosing a topic? Consider one of the following industry-related subjects:

• Customer Service
• Equipment & Technology
• Labor
• Operations
• Professional Development
• Risk & Liability
• Sales & Marketing

And don’t worry about your writing prowess. Once you submit your copy we’ll work with you to tweak and smooth it out so that it’s ready for publication. What we want are your thoughts, ideas and experiences to share with your snow and ice industry colleagues.

Submissions, along with applicable high-resolution digital images, are due any time before Aug. 31 and can be emailed to editor Mike Zawacki at mzawacki@gie.net.

It's Top 100 time!

It's time to complete your entry form for Winter 2017-18. Top 100 companies will be honored at this year's Executive Summit. Please take a few minutes to click through to the following TOP 100 questionnaire.

Enter bit.ly/2HwZjMm into your browser to connect with an entry form.

We recognize the complexities of snow and ice management and that you may not have finalized your Winter 2017-18 revenue figure at this time. So, we request that you submit your best estimate. At the end of the survey, you'll have the opportunity to request an editorial follow-up prior to list finalization to check and update your snow and ice revenue figure.

Recipients of this year's Top 100 award will be recognized at the 2018 ASCA Executive Summit taking place Aug. 1 – 3, Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head, SC. The complete 2018 Top 100 list will be published in Snow Magazine's September issue.

Enter bit.ly/2EV58Os into your browser to see the 2017 Top 100 list

Food for Thought

My buddy business consultant Jim Coughlin recently shared some thoughts about the importance of pushing your chair ways from the desk and taking a break, especially during the busiest times of the year. He argues that to better face and overcome challenges, we need to build in regular pockets of time during the busy times to learn, to reflect, and to reenergize.

Here are five suggestions from Coughlin for you to consider adopting during your busiest work days.

Hero of the Hudson

Looking for another reason to attend this year’s Snow & Ice Show?

Join the Accredited Snow Contractors Association and Snow Magazine Thursday, May 3 at 11 a.m. for an impactful keynote at the 2018 Snow and Ice Show featuring Dave Sanderson, one of the heroes of the Hudson.

When US Airways Flight 1549, or “The Miracle on the Hudson” ditched into the Hudson River on Jan.15, 2009, Dave Sanderson knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

The last passenger off the back of the plane on that fateful day, he was largely responsible for the well-being and safety of others, risking his own life in frigid water to help other passengers off the plane.

Despite the hazard to himself, Sanderson thought only of helping others and emerged from the wreckage with a mission: to encourage others to do the right thing.

In this stirring presentation, Sanderson shares the story of Flight 1549, revealing the inner strength it took to make it through the day, and how teamwork, leadership, and state management can help overcome any obstacle.

The 2018 Snow and Ice Show, takes place May 1-3 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, is your opportunity to expand your knowledge, fine-tune your business and network with your peers.

And if you can’t make it, be sure to check out the August issue of Snow Magazine for complete coverage of this year’s event.

If you have a good company that does good work, provides good customer service and has knowledgeable representatives and account managers, you should have no shortage of sales. Yet companies struggle to get the sales they expect. As we enter peak selling season, let’s look at common obstacles that stand in the way.

1. You’re bogged down by the sheer number of proposals

Sales reps and account managers become so involved with proposals, estimating and content creation that they can’t do anything else. In my company, we improved account manager morale and increased productivity and turnaround by expanding our proposal team to include our estimator and landscape architect. To simplify execution, we repurpose our best proposals and pull from a well-organized inventory of graphic files and target market data. Our customers love it because we show them what we can do and how well we do it, and how much we respect their time by being prompt.

2. Capacity and backlog

Keeping sales and operations in balance is a constant struggle. Make sure that information between departments is shared which helps account and production teams satisfy delivery objectives and become less overwhelmed. Taking some of the load off the account managers having to do all the work frees them up to sell more.

3. No clarity around unique value proposition

Your value proposition is not a one-size-fits-all understanding of what your customer values. Each customer segment (HOAs, commercial, hospitals, schools, etc.) benefits differently from the services you offer. Ask your customers what matters most, and spend time to understand their perspective and priorities so you can anticipate what and when they need it.

4. You’ve lost track of how your customers buy

Customer buying preferences are changing. Selling successfully requires that you address and eliminate obsolete messaging that has lost its relevance. Generations, genders and demographic groups each respond differently to your message and each have a separate list of things that keep them up at night. Improve selling by understanding the uniqueness of your customer, their business model and budgeting cycle, and sell to them the way they and their businesses want to buy.

5. Lack of documentation

In this day and age, “fast beats slow.” Invest your resources in technology to streamline processes. Cloud-based tools and systems track customer activity and help you to see what’s working. They will also improve your opportunity pipeline at every stage. The more you know about your customer, the better you can sell to them. The better your workflow and reporting systems, the easier it will be to generate revenue.

Bruce Wilson is principal of green industry consulting firm Bruce Wilson & Company.

Growth has always been fundamental to business success, but it's never been more critical than it is now. Rapid changes in technology, shifting customer expectations, disruptive business models, and quickly evolving regulations force organizations to innovate quickly and invest in new lines of business that will fuel future growth. Problem is, the same forces that make growth imperative also make it incredibly daunting.

The old ways of doing business no longer work. Like it or not, it's time to throw out the old rule book and start fresh with approaches that make sense for the new economy. The strategies that help you facilitate trust, learning, creativity, and partnership seem counter intuitive at first, but will soon pave the way to success not only for you but for your team and your customers as well.

When the rules you used to live by become obsolete overnight, it doesn't exactly foster calmness and confidence. Leaders have to wrestle with some tough strategic dilemmas: Should we disrupt our own business before someone else does or focus on protecting it? Do we develop new capabilities internally or partner? Do we craft a careful plan or simply plunge right in? And yet, we can't afford to let fear, uncertainty, and doubt paralyze us.

To respond quickly and intelligently to the fast pace of change, all levels and functions in your businesses must be creative, responsive, and agile. You're going to feel fear, sure – and yet you must act in spite of it. In other words, practice fearless growth. Here are seven rules fearlessly growing companies live by and thrive.

Rule #1 Embrace uncertainty

People are wired to fear uncertainty, but it's important to capitalize on uncertainties in your market. Companies that grow fearlessly know that highly predictable markets often create situations in which all competitors look alike and margins are thin – thus, market uncertainties create new opportunities for them to differentiate themselves. These companies take prudent risks and know how to manage risk. In short, they operate confidently in uncertainty.

Uncertainty creates opportunities to pull ahead of the competition. Having the right risk mentality and moving quickly gives you an advantage over competitors that are slower to respond. Take a cue from the film industry and try placing multiple small bets. Repeat past successes and keep budgets realistic and proportionate to projects. You can also target niche customer groups.

Rule #2 Get in sync with your customers

Your customers are a powerful yet often under utilized source of ideas for new products and services, improved current offerings, and new ways to do business. In fact, they're often willing to contribute by giving product improvement ideas, technical support for other customers, videos, reviews, referrals, content related to your products, and other marketing value; all of which helps you stay in sync, mitigate risk, and remain prepared for whatever the future might bring.

You can stay ready for the future by collaborating with customers, paying attention to outliers, and observing how customers customize and use your products. Even top executives are getting involved in customer interaction. Home Depot executives work in the stores, helping customers and providing advice just as a typical store associate would. But there are plenty of other ways for companies and customers to collaborate.

When you allow customers to customize the products and services you sell, you learn a lot about them. This gives you the information to innovate new products and services and ways of doing things and stimulate growth. You can also observe and cater to your outlier customers – the ones who use your products and services in unusual ways – to gain insights. They can provide you with a window into emerging market trends and ideas for new products and services.

Rule #3 Partner, borrow, and share

In the past, businesses needed to own or take responsibility for every aspect of their value chain, from research to development to operations to sales and marketing. Not anymore. Today, businesses that grow fearlessly crowdsource, outsource, and make use of freelancers, bloggers, microbusinesses, individual innovators, and myriad partners to achieve far more than they could on their own.

You don't need physical assets to grow huge in terms of reach and value. Alibaba is the most valuable company in Asia, but it has no inventory. Airbnb has a greater market capitalization than Marriott but owns no hotels or real estate. Uber is the world's largest car service but owns no cars.

If you can collaborate with others outside your company, you can experience rapid adaptation when the market changes. Plus, it benefits you to outsource things that are not your distinctive competency. All of this leverages the ideas and capabilities outside your company, while strengthening the people, processes, and capabilities inside it.

Rule #4 Connect and strengthen your ecosystem

When you create the right ecosystem for your company, it will take on a life of its own and grow itself. Look at Airbnb: Before they came along, staying in someone's home was risky business because guests did not know who to trust. But Airbnb solves this problem by creating a platform for guests and hosts to score each other. And many guests enjoy making friends with their hosts, having access to advice about local haunts, great places to eat, and how to escape the tourist trail.

Once an ecosystem gets going, it becomes self-sustaining and enables fearless growth. Figure out who's already in your company's ecosystem and whom you would ideally like to have there. Then determine what value you would like each member to both give and receive. Consider creating a technology platform to enable richer interactions between ecosystem members and facilitate and nurture their real-life relationships with each other as well. Building the strength, size, and participation in your ecosystem can fuel growth, build customer loyalty, and insulate your company from market upsets.

Rule #5 Open the floodgates of employee creativity

Employees want to be engaged in their work and want to contribute to something greater than themselves. Too often, however, employers squander their talent by over-measuring, micromanaging, and failing to inspire. They may even punish employees who get too far ahead of company management, instead of rewarding them for their initiative. It's important to facilitate employees' natural desire to collaborate with others and to grow their own skills. By giving employees the freedom, knowledge, and network they need, you will unlock vast power.

There are many steps you can take to get the best from your employees. First, don't be afraid to say, “I don't know.” Revealing your own ignorance welcomes people at all levels to share their opinions and perspectives. You can also energize them by instilling a sense of purpose, which will especially appeal to millennials.

Be sure to continually pose new questions and challenge assumptions by introducing competition or games to stimulate new ways of thinking and free people to take risks. Allow new ways to work by encouraging collaboration and forming project-based groups, rather than top-down structures. Finally, communicate your values clearly and frequently, so employees know what you expect, even when no one is looking.

Rule #6 Learn fast and fearlessly

Fast learning, coupled with an "experimentation mind-set," is the most valuable competitive advantage a company can build. For example, UPS knows that regulations may someday require lower emissions and improved fuel efficiency, so it has a "rolling laboratory" of 11 different types of alternative-fuel and advanced-technology vehicles in use today. UPS is ahead of regulations in learning how to optimize each vehicle for the various driving conditions – from dense urban driving to remote rural driving.

Keenly observing the business environment, taking action before you feel fully ready, and incorporating what you've learned immediately into your strategy are all tickets to playing in today's fast-changing global economy. Make sure you are constantly experimenting, learning from successes and failures, and applying your knowledge. Anticipate the changes in your business environment and set specific learning goals based on those changes. Take action and begin learning the moment you know what you need to learn to be successful.

Rule #7 Build trust into all you do

Trust is the ingredient that enables the growth of relationships with employees, business partners, customers, and those in your work community. By trusting that your colleagues will do their part, you can set more aggressive goals, place bigger bets, and have a bigger imagination about what may be possible. When there is trust between coworkers, everyone feels comfortable engaging in the debate and disagreement required to make sound decisions. Trusting your business partners means you can move faster together, navigating uncertain terrain with greater confidence.

Trust speeds innovation and growth and improves efficiency. To build trust, neutralize fear in your organization, making it psychologically safe for employees to voice their ideas and opinions, make decisions, take action, gain new skills, and try new things. Give people challenging but realistic goals, act in a transparent way, show vulnerability, grant people discretion about how they do their work, and show appreciation for work done well, you'll be amazed what your team accomplishes. Finally, foster and expect creative conflict by encouraging employees to disagree and challenge each other.

Amanda Setili is president of strategy consulting firm Setili & Assoc.