The Edge September/October 2025

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PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS

“When we’re working with the regional managers, we’re talking about topics that are much more leadership focused, much more big picture focused, because at their level, they’ve really got to be able to see beyond just a branch, because they’re managing four or five branches,” Bland says. If you are trying to equip field staff with the skills to move up in the company, McFarland recommends teaching them how to communi cate clearly and anticipate upcoming needs on jobsites. “How would you, as a field person, be developed to understand the scope?” McFarland says. “It would only because be because somebody told you this is what’s happening. That would mean that that person communicated with you what they see, and then they expect you to help along the way in the future.” McFarland says the most important skill a field leader can pass along to the employees they are grooming for a higher role is a shared awareness of best practices. Instead of simply ordering people around, explaining the why can help them understand the bigger picture. “When someone advances from the field into supervision, they are learning to manage,” Bland says. “At that point, it’s not so much about leading, it’s more about managing, holding people accountable, mak ing sure systems are followed, driving results and using the tools and systems that we provide people.” ADVICE FOR OTHERS Don’t wait for a crisis to take one of your key players off the board. “Leadership development isn’t a last-minute fix; it’s a long-term investment,”Tuzzolino says. “By creating a culture where managers are mentors, feedback is welcomed, and team members are empowered and given frequent opportunities to grow, your team will understand there’s a path forward and will be committed to your company’s suc cess.” McFarland recommends reviewing your bench often to see who is displaying your core values and the capacity to move up. Bland stresses you shouldn’t plan in a vacuum. Talk to the employees you want to move into key roles. “When someone plans in a bubble and they don’t hear out the other party, and they don’t have these hypothetical ‘what if’ type of conver sations that then lead to a plan, then they’re only solving for part of the puzzle, and they don’t control all the cards,” Bland says. Helgoe adds that if you want a quality team, it’s something you have to build over the years with training. “Real performance reviews have to be in place,” Helgoe says. “Real coaching has to be in place. Real open dialog has to happen. If you want to grow your business and you don’t really want to suffer from mediocrity I think succession planning is a big piece of it.” TE

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 KEY TAKEAWAYS ■ Illness, resignations, burnout, or rapid growth can all leave key roles vacant. Having trained internal candidates ensures continuity and resilience. ■ Leadership gaps can lead to poor morale, disrupted ser vice, customer dissatisfaction,

untrained or poorly aligned with company culture. ■ Developing structured internal training builds future-ready leaders while enhancing daily operations. ■ Open conversations, coach ing, and real feedback help build trust, loyalty, and long term bench strength.

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and even project failure — especially if replacements are

20 The Edge // September/October 2025

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