It’s not unusual for new CSLS graduates to tell us that working on construction projects is the easy part of being a self-employed contractor in California. What’s tough is managing everything else – staying on top of budgets, marketing, and staff members.
In fact, it’s the management aspect of the job that many find particularly challenging.
It’s almost never easy to make the transition from “construction worker” or “tradesman” to “business owner with employees,” but understanding your management style is a good first step toward getting things right. With that in mind, here are three different (and common) contractor management styles, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each:
Micromanager. As the old saying goes, if you want something done right, there’s nothing better than doing it yourself. When that’s not possible, making sure others are doing it correctly can be a big temptation.
The benefit of micromanaging your employees or subcontractors is that you can keep a close eye on their work and make sure everyone is performing up to your standards. In addition to taking up lots of your time, though, micromanaging sends a subtle message that you don’t trust your workers, which could lead to bigger problems later.
Relaxed manager. If you don’t want to be a micromanager, or just hate it when people supervise you too closely, you can relax your style a bit and opt for occasional check-ins and progress updates.
The big benefit here is that you get more of your own time back since you aren’t spending every waking minute double-checking your employees’ work. There is a bit of risk, though, since you might not always be entirely sure that your team handled things in a way you would like.
Hands-off manager. If you trust your team completely, you can feel free to take a “hands-off” approach and let them finish a job or project without your help. This frees you up to do other things with your working hours, but also leaves you open to poor workmanship and other issues that could ultimately end up being your responsibility.
While most contractors will do best with a middle-of-the-road approach to management, you’ll learn with experience that no one style is perfect, and that different situations (or different employees) can call for an adjustment in tactics. Before you go into self-employment, though, it’s worth asking yourself: What kind of manager do you want to be?
Interested in taking the plunge and becoming a licensed contractor in California? Check out the different course options at CSLS. With 25 campuses around the state, online study options, and a flexible financial aid department, we have everything you need to earn your California contractor’s license now.
