How to switch from a manager to a LEADER in your trade business

Ange
I guess that’s the point though. You can’t grow a business just by turning the wheels and barking orders. You personally have to move up the ranks, so to speak, from being on the tools as a tradesperson to managing the team, then to being a leader. They’re actually three different roles completely.

Andy
So Tradesperson to manager, to leader. We all know about being a tradesperson on the tools, but just to be clear, managing isn’t leading right?

Ange
No, they are actually different. So a manager will focus on planning, organizing, and coordinating work. They make sure the team is doing what they should so that they deliver results. Whereas a leader will inspire, motivate, and influence their team through actions and words towards a shared vision. This creates an amazing team culture that drives loyalty long-term.

Andy
Stop. Wait. That was the sentence right there that every trade business owner wanted to hear.

Ange
Well, what’s that?

Andy
That if you get the leadership right, it will drive loyalty with your team for the long-term. In today’s environment, it seems the grass is always greener for a lot of employees out there. They can snap up a job with another business with a click of the fingers, but do they really wanna leave if they actually love where they work?

Ange
Well, that’s a great question. I’d say no. And that’s why this topic is so interesting.

Andy
Yes.

Ange
You want the team to be so on board with the bigger picture of the business and how they fit in that their future is already painted and they’re excited.

Andy
So what you’re saying is like a cult. Get them to drink the Kool-Aid baby. Ooh.

Ange
Maybe not those vibes.

Andy
Yeah, maybe.

Ange
But I get what you’re saying.

Andy
You do want them to love the business so much that they think of it as their own. You want them to love coming to work every day, working together to achieve great things.

Ange
Yeah, it’s true. So how do you do that? How do you change your thinking plus your words and actions to be a leader when you’ve been a tradesman for possibly years?

Andy
Yes, here lies the problem, we tradies have been running our own ship since the day we started our own business, and perhaps it’s been like this for many years before we took on our first employee. We really only know how to teach them what we know. Like being a good tradie, following great processes, and communicating with the customers.

Ange
Yeah. But that’s managing not being a leader.

Andy
Yeah, I get it. It’s a tricky one. You naturally turn into a manager to ensure the team is doing what you want them to so you can make some money.

Ange
Yeah, I agree. So let’s talk about how you switch this up to be a leader. The first thing that needs to be said is that no one is born a leader, but you can actually be taught.

Andy
I do think some people take on this role more naturally than others. Perhaps it’s maybe the guys and girls that have the confidence level.

Ange
Well, I would say confidence in yourself and your vision for the business helps, but leaders are actually really people orientated. They’re empathetic to those around them. So as they grew in their business, they had their epiphany that they can’t do this by themselves, which made them stop and think about, well, how do I do this better?

Andy
I remember when I first started hiring and I realized that I needed to bring a different kind of energy. You know, the team was growing really fast and they were all looking at me for guidance.

Ange
Yeah, it’s true and no doubt the same story for most trade business owners. In fact, I have a few specific questions for you, Andy, about how you think you made this transition? But before I do, I actually wanna share some theories for the listeners. So to step up as a leader, you actually need to start looking at yourself first. It’s actually called self-leadership.

Andy
You mean like how can you be expected to be able to inspire and guide others around you if you don’t even have the ability to inspire yourself? It would be like fighting a lost cause, right?

Ange
Yeah, exactly. I think that really comes down to passion for what you are doing or what you’re trying to achieve, because if you are not motivated and passionate about your cause, I can guarantee you that no one else around you will be either. So let me share with you the ABCs of self-leadership.

Andy
ABC sounds a little bit like we’re back in kindergarten learning the other A, B, C. Anyway, back to you.

Ange
Yeah, look, it is a little bit, so stick with me here. Okay, so A stands first, self-awareness. B is self-belief and C is around self-confidence.

Andy
Okay, so let’s talk through this.

Ange
All right, so self-awareness. This is about being able to reflect on situations and know that what you did or said provided a specific outcome, and perhaps in future you need to react in a different way.

Andy
Like, don’t yell and scream at your team if they made a mistake. Instead give them instructions, but let them make the final decision themselves, even if it means sometimes they need to fail.

Ange
Yeah. Self-awareness is also about being honest about your strengths and weaknesses and how these impact your day-to-day life. Cuz at the end of the day, no one is perfect.

Andy
Sorry. Yep.

Ange
What?

Andy
I was just saying maybe I was.

Ange
Are you?

Andy
Uh, no. Everyone has weaknesses, but being aware of them and learning how to navigate them is what differentiates you from a trade business owner to an Absolute Gun Leader.

Ange
Yeah. So as an example, if one of your weaknesses as a leader is that you are a bit of a teller, how it is that kind of person, which can come off maybe a bit blunt and abrasive at times. Then let’s say someone on your team comes to you with a personal problem, Hey, and without even thinking about it, your response is like, get over it. Move on. Then the way you reacted is gonna rub people the wrong way. And in these situations you need to stop, take a moment to reflect and put yourself in their shoes. You need to be empathetic towards their situation.

Andy
Now this is something that I’ve definitely, I’ve had to learn over time to think before I speak. Yeah. And if they’ve been so brave enough to even come up and talk about the issues, I need to say to myself, I love that they trust me and they talk to me about this stuff, and I need to stop and listen and give them the time that they need. I mean, this is just one example of many that happens to touch a bit on the emotional side of leadership.

Ange
And interestingly, you’ve just highlighted that was perhaps originally a weakness of yours.

Andy
That I learned to turn into our strengths.

Ange
Yeah. So on the flip side, let’s talk about strengths. Everyone has something that they’re really good at. So yours might be that you can command a room and that your team really respects you for that. So imagine that you’re in a toolbox meeting. You have this knack for rallying the team around you and giving them a really great pep talk amongst other things. And it’d be a really good opportunity for you to motivate them for the week ahead.

Andy
Yeah. The ability to inspire and motivate your team is such a great strength to have. There’s nothing like a good pep talk whilst sipping a cup of coffee to fight the Monday blues to rev them up and getting started for a big week.

Ange
Yeah. So true. So moving on. The next of the ABCs of self-leadership is B, and what we’re talking about is self-belief. This is the trust you have in your abilities and who you are as a person to be able to achieve your goals. At the end of the day, you started this business for a reason and you will lead it to greatness, but do you actually believe this? Is this what you actually want?

Andy
Yeah, that’s a great question. I guess this ties well. With C as well, which stands for self-confidence. Both self-belief and self-confidence are very closely linked.

Ange
Yeah, they are. So, self-confidence is the ability to act on something in spite of any doubts that you may have. So self-confidence, I suppose, can be faked, I suppose, like fake it til you make it.

Andy
You can’t fake self-belief though. No. Because you can’t fake yourself, right?

Ange
No, you can’t fake it. Self-belief is a deep rooted knowledge of what you know to be true. It’s linked actually with your personal values. So if you stay true to these throughout your life, I’d say you’re on a pretty good path.

Andy
Yes. Like high morals and values and obviously family.

Ange
Yeah. That’s your values. So the point I wanna make here is that, To become a leader, you need to start with you, use this as a starting point to foster self-leadership, because like we said, if you don’t start with yourself about who you are and what you want, so that you’re clear about your passion to drive a successful business, then it’s gonna be an uphill battle to motivate others around you.

Andy
So you said earlier you were gonna ask me some questions about how I moved from being a, a, what I’d say a great manager, um, to a fantastic leader.

Ange
Okay? Yes. I wanna talk about how you took yourself out of the day-to-day management mindset and into the mindset of a leader, because there is actually a huge difference and you’ve personally sat in both camps. So let me ask you this, what’s involved in the management side?

Andy
Well, as a business owner, when I was in their management sort of mindset, I would handle dispatch, invoicing, quoting phone calls from the team, phone calls from customers, pretty much everything. But because I was in that mindset, I was also at times on the tools. I just didn’t have enough time in the day to scratch myself, let alone think about leading a team.

Ange
Okay. So what would you classify as leading a team?

Andy
Well, I didn’t really know it at the time cause I didn’t understand there was a difference really. But knowing what I know now would classify this as being able to paint the vision of the business, the future and what this meant to me, but also paint the vision of where you wanted to take them. You know, to speak really honestly, and show that passion that you’ve got. Show them how much you love their business, how much you love them, how great your team is. And making them believe, oh my God, we’re in a great team here and we are definitely going places.

Ange
That’s awesome. So what else shifted for you?

Andy
Well, I learned a lot more about how to collaborate with the team. So nailing my communication skills and having two way conversations rather than it’s going, do that now. Um, so I had to change that way. And weekly toolbox meetings were great to get everyone’s opinion as well because we had a chance to meet as a team, plus have regular one-on-one check-ins. I’d always catch up with them one-on-one if I thought there was an issue going on or whatever it was. I’d just sometimes grab a guy and go, Hey, jump in my office. Let’s have a chat. And I found this along with a few other things, really took the culture from zero to a hundred and then all of a sudden we had this amazing team that loved working and like we just had so much fun around each other. And you could just see the vibe. If it wasn’t in the office, it was when we were out digging a hole or knocking over a beer on a Friday afternoon. Everyone loved just Hanging together.

Ange
Yeah. That’s awesome. So apart from implementing some specific strategies that help you lead the team, do you think there was anything specific that changed your mindset?

Andy
Yes. There was a point where I realized things definitely had to change because I was doing the same thing every day and I wasn’t actually on the tools anymore. And when you’re a tradie and you’re an owner and you are on the tools with the boys, you’re a part of them. But all of a sudden I was more of a manager. I wasn’t getting out of the tools anymore, and the problem was the team was treating me just like one of them and a mate, and they weren’t treating me as a boss as such. So if there was a phone call that came in late in the afternoon or there was some hard work to be done, they sort of expected me to get in the trenches and do it with them. You know, it was something that I really struggled with, but I realized I had to change my ways. It wasn’t that I didn’t wanna jump in the trench and help, or didn’t wanna get out there and, and put in the hard yards. It was more the fact that I just physically didn’t have the time cuz the business needed me more in the office. So what I had to do was change the mindset of the tradies of where I was just like a worker like them, to myself stepping up and being more of an office manager. And as we talk about it, a leader. So what I needed to do, Was I changed what I used to wear. I mean, I used to always have work boots and work socks and work clothes, and I was ready to jump in a truck head down the road and when something was wrong, I step in and take complete control. And I had to get away from that. And they had to see me more as the boss and the leader and someone in the office. So I changed. I put dress shoes on, I put dress pants on. I got a dress shirt and I looked like a businessman and at first, they looked at me and said, look at you, you absolute wanker. But it changed the mindset. Cause all of a sudden they realized when something did go wrong or a late cork did come in, I didn’t even have the clothes to get in the trenches with them, let alone be able to jump in there and help them. And it changed the whole aspect of my business. And it was the turning point of going from a team of, I think we were sitting at around about a team of six or seven to a team of 17.

Ange
Right. So it sounds so simple, but that one change had such a huge effect on your mindset about how you showed up every day. It was probably the moment that you saw yourself as an actual leader and not one of them. And it changed the way the team treated you. It took you from manager to leader.

Andy
100%. There is not enough emphasis on the importance of feeling the part, but how you feel about yourself, your thoughts, and hence your actions play a big part of the confidence you bring to the business. Because as a leader, you’re expected to be a role model. You gotta walk the walk, talk the talk, and set an example. So you need to constantly be happy and on your toes and ready to go.

Ange
Yeah. So this is quite interesting. This leads me to the next point of mastering communication because a big part of being a leader is how you interact and persuade the team members to work together. Just because you say something doesn’t mean they understand it nor remember it. Even if it’s like your beautiful future speech was super inspiring.

Andy
You mean like the way most of us tradies talk to our team because, Guess what? We generally talk to them like teaching. How do you follow processes? How many of you out there have hired a new tradie or apprentice, popped them in a van with you and driven around blabbing all your systems and processes at them thinking that’ll pick it up. Just like the click of a finger. Well, guess what? They won’t take it in. They’re, it’s their first day. They’re just trying to find the ropes and you are just nonstop, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Ange
Just speaking at them leaves opportunity for miscommunication, interpretation, and definitely mistakes because it’s ineffective communication.

Andy
I bet you listeners just had the light bulb moment go off or you are sitting thinking, but I spoke to them, I communicated to them. How is that ineffective? What?

Ange
Right. So metaphorically speaking, there are actually three different languages that we need to use to communicate because everyone understands things and learns differently.

Andy
Definitely.

Ange
So stick with me here. There are actually three different ways to communicate. Visual, audio and kinesthetics. So visual is, Seeing things written down or maybe a diagram. Audio is hearing information like your example before Andy. And kinesthetic is actually touching something or doing the tasks and learning through assistance. If you wanna be a leader that communicates effectively with your team, removing all the blurred lines you need to be utilizing all three of these languages.

Andy
Yeah, especially when you’re dealing with tradies, right? I can only speak for myself, but I went to TAFE because I was good with my hands. I didn’t wanna sit in lectures for hours and hours on end, listening to someone going, blah, blah, blah. You know? I would’ve switched off really quick as well. But when they made me do something and asked my opinion, I was forced to be involved. So, Think about when you’re delivering what you wanna communicate, because effective communication will make for a great culture and therefore some serious motivation within your team.

Ange
Yeah, I agree. Your business values may be on the wall. As a reminder of the future of the business, you might be asking the team’s opinion about work at hand and collaborating with the solution, and you might be involving them in projects that help their development and benefit the business.

Andy
Agreed. At the end of the day, we want the business to flourish as a team. So what are you doing right now in your business as a leader? It’s a really good question.

Ange
So is there a piece of advice that you would actually share to start this process?

Andy
Yeah, I think it’s no secret that business can be really challenging, but hey, This is the gig that every single one as a trade business owner we signed up for. But if you want to be successful, you have no choice but to step up from being a tradesperson, to being a manager, and then heading into being a kick ass leader. This is the position you must excel at, at all times. I know it can be exhausting and relentless, but you’re gonna get better. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. As a leader, I can’t help anyone If I have nothing else to give. I have to be able to get the most outta myself first before I can even think about being responsible for getting the best out of my team.

Ange
Yeah, that’s a good one. So how do you get the best out of yourself?

Andy
For me, it just comes down to a bit of routine, you know, doing exercises, taking time out for myself, making that space for me so that I can help others.

Ange
Right. So it’s like when you get on a flight and they give you that safety instruction to fit your own mask first. Yeah, because you actually have to help yourself before you can help others. The business can’t run if you are struggling for oxygen.

Andy
Exactly. So for all you listeners out there, I wanna ask you, what are you gonna do to start stepping up as a leader? If you’re just a tradie that doesn’t currently own a business, it could start with getting a morning routine happening. If you do own a business already, start with a review of your strengths and also your weaknesses.

Ange
Yeah, that’s great tips. So crew, if you want some more information on how to step up as a leader, take charge and be super successful in your business, then can I suggest you download our free, Strengthen Your Leadership Cheat Sheet? I’m gonna pop the link in the show notes, or I’d suggest you head to lifestyletradie.com.au/free-resources.

Andy
I dunno about you Ange, but I feel like this has been a wicked episode. It is seriously time for you, everyone out there, for you to step up as a leader and show everyone around you, if that’s your family, if that’s your team, the way to go. Because you know what? If you’re not stepping up as that leader, when are you going to? You know, it’s either now or never. So everyone listening out there, I want you to all join me with a big fat hell yeah! Awesome. Catch you guys soon.

Ange
See you.

Andy
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