"I'm Not Ready to Be a Manager in Construction"

If you’ve ever been offered a chance to lead people on a jobsite and your first thought was, “I’m not ready for this,” then congratulations. You’re normal.

You’re in the exact position every good leader has been in. Myself included. Anyone who tells you that they weren't feeling that way is just too insecure to be honest.

Most “seasoned professionals” won’t admit the truth - one is ready the first time.

Not the guy in charge of twenty houses. Not the newly promoted superintendent with thirty years of experience. Not even the project manager who looks calm, confident, and unbothered.

Inside, on day one, we all said the same thing you are thinking.

What if I mess this up? What if I look stupid? What if I don’t know the answer? Why does everyone else seem to have it together and I'm scared to death?

Everyone feels it. Everyone. The difference is that some people let that fear stop them while others decide to step forward anyway and use it to fuel getting better.

Leadership in Construction Isn’t About Knowing Everything!

You are not being put in the role because you know every detail about framing, code, HVAC, permitting, scheduling, or trade management. (Though yes, you’ll learn all of that over time.)

You are being put in the role because someone believes you can lead people and be successful.

Management is about tasks, checklists, due dates, and paperwork. But leadership, true leadership is about guiding and inspiring people.

Your job is not to have all the answers. Your job is to make sure answers get found. It's to keep your cool when others lose theirs (maybe the hardest part of the job, honestly).

Your job is to translate chaos into clarity.

Lead Instead of Manage

Here is where we let new managers in construction down. We never tell you the real truth about being a leader in this industry. A team will forgive a leader who is still learning the technical side. A team will not forgive a leader who blames others, avoids responsibility, doesn't treat them with respect, or refuses to admit they themselves made mistakes.

What they DO respect is someone who listens before they speak, asks questions, holds everyone accountable to the SAME STANDARD, and steps in to help when things get tough.

The guys on your crew don’t need a boss who "knows everything". They need someone who will show up, stay steady, and walk beside them.

Being “Not Ready” Can Actually Be Your Biggest Advantage

Here's why it's probably a good thing that you feel like you’re not ready. It forces to pay attention, to double check your work, to ask questions instead of barking orders, and to respect the experience of the people on your team.

It also forces you to do something that many leaders stopped doing a long time ago.....to LEARN! The most dangerous person on a jobsite isn’t the new leader. It’s the leader who thinks they are done learning.

You’re Not Supposed to Do This Alone

You have the answers to every problem you'll ever see....it's call your network. Ask a senior carpenter why they would do it that way.....Admit when something is new to you and ask the plumber about his tools....Pull someone aside and say, “I need a hand understanding this”....or call your mentor, your foreman, or your own leader and say, “Walk me through this real quick”

There is no weakness in asking for help. Weakness is pretending you don’t need any.

The First Step Is the Hardest

If you are standing on the edge of leadership right now, feeling that weight in your chest, thinking: “What if I’m not ready?” then allow me to answer the question for you. If you wait until you feel ready, you'll NEVER become a leader. Cause none of us are ready - even now!

Ready is a myth

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Growth always happens on the other side of action. Step in. Show up. Learn fast. Stay humble. Stand tall.

You don’t have to be perfect to lead.

You just have to care about your people enough to try.

And the fact that you’re worried about being ready tells me something important about you.

Which means you’re exactly the kind of leader construction needs.