Speak Up! Learn How To Hold Your Ground in Arguments

It's time to put your foot down. Learn how to speak up for your company’s best interests.
Speak Up! Learn How To Hold Your Ground in Arguments
If you believe you’re right about changing the invoice process or sending regular maintenance notifications, then say something, but don’t just talk to hear your own voice.

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Every now and then looking out for the best interests of your company — or the industry — means you need do something unpopular that perhaps doesn’t sit well with others. 

For Tom Fritts, vice president of Residential Sewage Treatment Company and president of NOWRA, this type of scenario recently played itself out during a disagreement.

Shock value

During a presentation Fritts delivered in Kansas, a regulator in the audience explained that many of the residents in impoverished local counties cannot afford to handle wastewater issues correctly. 

For instance, argued the regulator, there might be an onsite system discharging directly into a local waterway that is clearly a health issue, but properly repairing it could cost almost as much as the person’s modest home. 

Not surprisingly, Fritts’ response wasn’t very well received: “I don’t care whether they can afford it or not.” 

He said at the time it felt as if others in the room thought he’d just burned a bridge, but sometimes that sort of shock value is necessary to gain people’s attention. 

Learning opportunity

Following the session this same audience member approached him to say that she thought his stance was interesting. The two then had the opportunity to better explain themselves and their differing viewpoints. 

“When I say ‘I don’t care’ it doesn’t mean I don’t care about that person,” Fritts says. “Certainly I feel for them. Buy I don’t care when it comes to protecting the environment.” 

This opened up a discussion on funding — or a lack of — for low-income homeowners. Like many industry professionals, Fritts believes there should be more programs in place to assist with the financial implications of these types of scenarios. 

While the U.S. EPA offers a list of various federal and state sources available for funding onsite system upgrades and replacements, there is still a need for onsite professionals to use opportunities like Fritts’ to educate homeowners and regulators. 

Flex your onsite muscles: Use disagreements as learning opportunities to make an impact on the industry and advocate for additional financial programs. 

Speak up

Although it was difficult and even uncomfortable for Fritts to disagree and hold his ground, he says sometimes it’s just part of ensuring things are handled the right way. 

Many industry professionals tend to be frustrated that they need to know so many different codes and may even fear the county or state regulator as a result. Even so, Fritts encourages others to speak up if the situation ever calls for it. 

“You can disagree with regulators and you should if it’s something that you feel strongly about,” he explains, but make sure your facts are in place to support your argument. 

This also applies to how you run your business. If you believe you’re right about changing the invoice process or sending regular maintenance notifications, then say something, but don’t just talk to hear your own voice. 

Remember: There’s a fine line between speaking up for the company’s best interests and complaining just because you think something should be done differently. 



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