How to Grow the People, Who Grow Your Business

If you want your business to grow, your people have to grow too.

You can build the best systems, have the clearest vision, and document every process to perfection, and if you don’t have leaders on your team to carry the weight, to take responsibility, the growth will stop with you.

The problem? Most construction businesses don’t suffer from a lack of workers. They suffer from a lack of good leaders. Our people in authority positions don't take the time to mentor or support the growth of those coming behind them, leaving every generation of people coming through to figure it out on their own.

And based on what we often see on construction sites, they're not figuring it out.

You've heard me say it before, and I'll say it again - a great tradesperson does not necessarily make a great leader. Just like their trade skill needs to be developed and practiced, as does their leadership skills need to be developed and practiced. 

Why Your Foreperson Can’t Just “Figure It Out”

Too often in construction, we take the best worker on the crew and make them a foreman.

They’re reliable, technically skilled, and can “get the job done.” So we give them more responsibility, without ever giving them the tools, training, or support to lead.

And then we wonder why:

• They avoid difficult conversations

• The team doesn’t respect them

• The job still ends up on your plate

It’s not because they’re incapable. It’s because leadership is a different skill set than craftsmanship.

Why Growing Leaders Is the Secret to Scaling

Want fewer site-level fires to put out? Want your clients to feel supported without always needing to speak to you? Want to delegate confidently without chasing follow-ups?

Then you need people who can think, act, and lead like owners, even when they’re not owners.

Great field leaders:

• Manage time, materials, and labour effectively

• Communicate clearly with both crew and clients

• Represent your company with professionalism

• Take ownership of results, not just tasks

If you are looking for this person and have not found them yet, there's good reason. You don’t find people like this. You develop them.

What Makes a Great Field Leader?

Here are the three key traits you should be developing in every foreperson, PM, and high-potential employee:

1. Ownership Mindset

This is about going beyond “doing the job” to owning the outcome.

They don’t just wait for instructions, they anticipate problems and bring solutions. They don’t make excuses, they take responsibility and make it right.

You can nurture this by:

• Giving them real decision-making authority

• Asking: “What do you recommend?” instead of giving answers

• Publicly recognizing initiative and accountability

2. Communication Skills

Your best tradesperson might be terrible at leading if they can’t clearly direct a team or communicate with clients.

Start small:

• Coach them on running a 5-minute morning huddle

• Teach them how to handle tough conversations (respectfully)

• Help them identify, document and communicate issues before they become problems

Remember: communication isn’t a personality trait, it’s a trainable skill. It come with putting in the reps.

3. Situational Awareness

Good leaders are proactive, not reactive. They’re able to read the job, the people, and the pressure, and still stay composed.

That means they:

• See what’s coming before it hits

• Read the energy of the team and adjust

• Know when to push and when to support

This comes with time and mentorship, however, you can speed it up by involving them in site planning, debriefs, and problem-solving early on.

How to Start Developing Leaders Now

You don’t need a corporate leadership program (although you could and mine is pretty great!). You can start with what you’ve got.

Here’s a simple development framework you can use right now:

Step 1: Identify Potential

Look for people who are:

• Already informally guiding others

• Taking initiative without being asked

• Asking good questions, not just doing the bare minimum

Don’t limit your search to people with the loudest voices. Some of your best leaders are quiet and consistent.

Step 2: Start Small

Give them something they can own:

• A weekly material check

• Running the tailgate meeting

• Following up with subs

• Leading the close-out process

Make it meaningful, measurable, and achievable (think SMARTER goal setting).

Step 3: Coach the Process

Meet with them weekly (even just 15 minutes):

• Ask what’s going well

• Ask what they’re stuck on

• Share a small tip or story to teach a leadership principle

• Praise what’s working and challenge what needs improvement

Let them tell you what they need. Consistency matters more than complexity.

Step 4: Build a Clear Path

People commit to what they can see. Show them what their future could look like in your company:

• Foreperson → PM → Ops Manager → Division Lead

• Apprentice → Journeyperson → Lead Tech → Trainer

When people see opportunity, they rise. They get excited. They step-up to the challenge. Give your people the chance to see how their goals can be reached in your company.

Leadership Development Is Leverage

You can only go as far as your team can carry the vision. If everything still runs through you, you’re the ceiling, the bottleneck, the problem.

However, when you grow leaders?

• Projects move faster

• Clients feel more supported

• People stay longer

• Your life gets easier

Your job isn’t to hold the business together. Your job is to build people who can.

What’s Next?

Next week, we’re getting personal. We’ll explore the confidence gap, why even great owners and site leaders hold themselves back.

Because you can have all the systems, plans, and people in place… and if you don’t believe you’re the one to lead this company into its future, you’ll always find ways to play small.

PS: Want to learn more about building your team? Let’s connect! Reach out to me on LinkedIn or visit ThriveHQ.ca to explore how I can help your business thrive.