Managing Production Managers vs. Managing Crews: Different Skills Required

The roofing company owner who excels at managing crews often struggles when managing managers. The skills that motivated crews and ensured quality work don’t translate directly to leading leaders.

This transition trips up most growing roofing companies. The owner adds a production manager, continues managing the same way, and wonders why things don’t work. Understanding the difference enables true scale.

Why the Difference Matters

Managing crews and managing managers require fundamentally different approaches.

Managing crews involves:

• Direct task assignment
• Detailed instruction
• Close supervision
• Immediate feedback
• Hands-on problem solving
• Technical guidance
• Daily interaction

Managing managers involves:

• Outcome definition
• Authority delegation
• Progress monitoring
• Coaching and development
• Strategic guidance
• Resource provision
• Periodic review

The skills overlap some, but the emphasis shifts dramatically. Treating managers like crew members undermines their effectiveness and yours.

The Crew Management Model

Understanding what works with crews clarifies what changes with managers.

Direct Management Characteristics

Hands-on involvement:

• You’re present on job sites
• You see work happening
• You catch problems real-time
• You make adjustments immediately

Task-level direction:

• Assign specific tasks to specific people
• Explain how things should be done
• Check work at completion
• Provide immediate correction

Technical focus:

• Demonstrate proper techniques
• Answer technical questions
• Solve installation problems
• Ensure quality standards

Daily rhythm:

• Morning assignments
• Throughout-day check-ins
• End-of-day review
• Next-day planning

This model works because crew members need direction, technical guidance, and close oversight to develop and perform.

The Manager Management Model

Managing managers requires elevation of focus and change of approach.

Outcome-Based Leadership

Define what, not how:

• Specify desired outcomes
• Leave method to the manager
• Set clear success criteria
• Avoid micromanaging execution

Example shift:

• Crew management: “Stack materials this way, start here, do this first”
• Manager management: “We need 4 jobs completed this week at quality standard. How will you make that happen?”

Authority and Accountability

Real delegation:

• Give actual decision-making authority
• Let them own their domain
• Accept their approach even if different from yours
• Hold accountable for outcomes

What authority means:

• They can make decisions without asking
• They can direct their team
• They can solve problems their way
• They answer for results

Coaching Over Directing

Development focus:

• Help them grow as leaders
• Ask questions that develop thinking
• Provide perspective, not answers
• Let them struggle productively

Coaching questions:

• “What do you think you should do?”
• “What have you tried?”
• “What’s your plan if that doesn’t work?”
• “What would you do differently next time?”

Strategic Guidance

Bigger picture:

• Connect their work to company direction
• Share context that informs decisions
• Include them in strategic discussions
• Develop their business understanding

Periodic Review

Rhythm change:

• Weekly instead of daily check-ins
• Focus on trends, not incidents
• Review metrics, not tasks
• Plan forward, not just backward

Making the Transition

Most owners struggle with this transition. Here’s how to make it successfully.

Recognize the Pull to Micromanage

Warning signs:

• You’re in their decisions constantly
• You direct their team members
• You solve problems they should solve
• You spend more time on their area than they do

Underlying causes:

• Fear of mistakes
• Need for control
• Identity as the expert
• Distrust of capability

Addressing the pull:

• Acknowledge the discomfort
• Accept some mistakes will happen
• Find value in developing others
• Measure by outcomes, not involvement

Build Trust Gradually

Trust-building approach:

• Start with smaller decisions
• Review before acting initially
• Move to review after acting
• Graduate to full autonomy

Trust levels:

1. Decide together
2. They decide, you review before
3. They decide, they inform you after
4. Full authority, report exceptions only

Move through levels as capability demonstrates.

Change Your Questions

From directing to coaching:

Instead of: “Did you do X?” Ask: “How’s the Johnson project going?”

Instead of: “Do Y this way” Ask: “What’s your plan for the Smith job?”

Instead of: “Here’s how to handle that” Ask: “What options do you see?”

Questions develop thinking. Directions create dependency.

Define Boundaries Clearly

What they own:

• List specific decisions they can make
• Define their team’s scope
• Clarify resource authority
• Specify escalation triggers

What you retain:

• Strategic direction
• Hiring/firing final approval
• Budget authority above threshold
• Customer escalations above threshold
• Decisions with company-wide impact

Clear boundaries prevent both overstepping and unnecessary hesitation.

Establish New Rhythms

Weekly one-on-one:

• 30-60 minutes
• Manager drives agenda
• Review key metrics
• Discuss challenges and support needed
• Coach and develop

Weekly team meeting:

• With all direct reports together
• Cross-functional coordination
• Company updates and direction
• Problem-solving together

Monthly review:

• Deeper performance review
• Development progress
• Goals and objectives
• Career conversation

Common Mistakes When Managing Managers

Mistake 1: Solving Their Problems

You hear about a problem. You immediately solve it.

Why it’s wrong:

• They don’t develop problem-solving capability
• They learn to bring problems, not solutions
• You stay involved in operational details

Better approach: Ask how they plan to handle it. Coach if needed. Let them execute.

Mistake 2: Directing Their People

A crew member comes to you with an issue. You handle it directly.

Why it’s wrong:

• Undermines manager’s authority
• Confuses reporting relationships
• Keeps you in operational role

Better approach: Redirect to the manager. Support the manager’s authority.

Mistake 3: Reviewing Everything

Every decision, every schedule, every plan crosses your desk for approval.

Why it’s wrong:

• You remain the bottleneck
• Manager can’t actually manage
• No speed or scale benefit

Better approach: Review outcomes and exceptions. Trust the process.

Mistake 4: Only Talking When There’s Problems

Communication happens only when something goes wrong.

Why it’s wrong:

• Creates negative association with interaction
• Misses coaching opportunities
• Damages relationship

Better approach: Regular positive interaction. Development conversations. Recognition.

Mistake 5: Expecting Instant Competence

You hire or promote someone and expect them to perform immediately at your level.

Why it’s wrong:

• Unrealistic expectation
• Sets them up for failure
• Frustrates both parties

Better approach: Plan for learning curve. Provide support. Gradually expand authority.

The Payoff

When you successfully transition to managing managers:

For you:

• Time freed from operational details
• Focus on strategy and growth
• Reduced daily stress
• Greater impact from your time

For managers:

• Real authority and ownership
• Growth and development
• Job satisfaction
• Career advancement

For the company:

• Scalable leadership structure
• Faster decision-making
• Developed leadership bench
• Growth capacity

Start Here

Transitioning to manager management starts with self-awareness.

Start Here:

1. Track your interactions with your production manager for a week. How many are directing vs. coaching? How many involve their decisions vs. your decisions?
2. Identify 3 decisions you currently make that your manager could make. Document the criteria and delegate them.
3. Schedule a standing weekly one-on-one if you don’t have one. Let your manager drive the agenda.

Managing managers is a learnable skill distinct from managing crews. The transition feels uncomfortable because it requires releasing control while accepting accountability.

The owner who masters this transition leads a company with unlimited scale potential. The one who can’t remains trapped in operational management forever.

Start the transition today. Your managers, your company, and your future self will thank you.