And what to do about it.
It’s a common story in growing businesses: your best worker on the tools becomes the natural choice for a leadership role. They know the job inside out, they’ve earned respect, and they’ve been around the longest. But six months later, things aren’t clicking. Deadlines are slipping. Morale is dropping. The team’s off-kilter.
Here’s why.
Being great at the trade doesn’t automatically mean someone’s equipped to lead. Leadership is a whole new toolbox.
At Thrive, we work with businesses where tradespeople are promoted into leadership roles but aren’t given the tools to lead well. The transition from "doer" to "leader" isn’t intuitive—some take to it naturally, but most need support.
3 signs your new team leader needs help:
They’re still doing the work instead of leading the team
Communication breakdowns or staff tensions are creeping in
They’re burning out—stuck between the crew and the boss
What they really need:
Clear leadership frameworks (not just a pep talk)
Confidence with delegation, feedback, and conflict resolution
A shift in mindset—from “I’ll fix it” to “I’ll lead it”
If you’ve got someone in your team who should be thriving in leadership but isn’t—give them the support they deserve. That’s what we’re here for.
