How to lead a trades team without losing their respect starts with one truth: the moment you get promoted, everything changes, for you and for them.
In this episode, Jim Robinson and co-host Lori Prust dig into what actually happens when someone moves from peer to manager on a trades team.
They cover why egos get big fast, how to keep your credibility while holding people accountable, and why self-awareness is what earns real respect from a team you used to call your buddies.
⏱️ Chapters
0:00 – Introduction
0:44 – Keeping your team's respect
2:25 – Maxwell's Five Levels of Leadership and the ego trap
3:50 – The "I have to know it all" trap new leaders fall into
6:00 – Signals someone is ready to lead: the "Five to Thrive" framework
7:18 – Losing trust: the ego walk and becoming "the boss"
10:42 – Address the problem in the room, handle the person one-on-one
12:44 – The Good, Great, Excellent, Outstanding framework
17:48 – Self-awareness first: humble, hungry, smart
19:53 – Understanding how each person on your team learns
23:50 – Building trust and respect after a promotion
26:00 – Don't show up as the fire — emotional maturity under pressure
30:17 – The real job of the first 30 days
32:37 – Personalized recognition: knowing your people
36:06 – Closing nugget
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ABOUT VISIONARY LEADER
Leadership insights for executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to lead with real influence. Not just authority. Jim Robinson is an executive coach, leadership speaker, and author of Leading with Empathy. Every week, Jim & Lori Prust share practical frameworks and honest conversations on visionary leadership, emotional intelligence, building high-performance teams, and the psychology of leadership.
Work with Jim: https://www.visionaryleader.com/
Jim's Book - Leading with Empathy: https://a.co/d/0bD1SpOP
Connect with Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-robinson-18211918/
Connect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-prust-309898195/
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