Podcast Summary: "Why Promoting Your Best Technician Almost Always Backfires"

Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Hosts: Tersh Blissett & Josh Crouch (Skilled Trades Syndicate)
Guest: Justin Dees (Freedom Blueprint Podcast, Service Manager Academy)
Date: January 7, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives into a common but flawed practice in the skilled trades: promoting the top technician into a managerial role. Tersh, Josh, and guest Justin Dees explore why this often leads to burnout, underperformance, and frustration—both for the tech and the business. They discuss practical solutions for leadership development, setting boundaries, and building sustainable systems. Justin shares insights from over 20 years in home services and details his Service Manager Academy program, designed to address these exact challenges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem with “Knighting” Your Best Technician (16:04 – 19:00)

• Tech-to-Manager Trap: Companies often promote their million-dollar field techs to management, trying to keep them from leaving the business, but this can set them—and the team—up for failure.
• Skills Mismatch: Success in the field does not translate to managerial aptitude. Leadership, process management, and people skills are entirely different from technical prowess.
  • “They completely suck at it. They have no people skills for managing other people. They're really good at managing themselves.” – Josh (16:15)
• Compensation Confusion: Newly promoted managers expect higher pay but may earn less, moving from commission to salary, often without proper training or clear expectations.

2. Leadership Gaps and Burnout from Bad Promotions (19:00 – 22:57)

• No Training or Tools: Top techs are left to figure out management on their own.
  • “He didn't know what to do when we got there. Well, I felt like I was pretty good at the leadership side. So that's kind of how this whole thing was built and developed.” – Justin (18:59)
• “Do What You Do” Fallacy: Owners often expect new service managers to simply “do what they do” as techs, leading to confusion and underperformance.
• Alienating Relationships: Sudden shifts in peer relationships can breed resentment and isolation.
  • “Sorry, bud, we can't be friends no more. He's like, but I live in your spare bedroom.” – Tersh (22:35)

3. Importance of Boundaries & Systems (31:56 – 34:25)

• Setting Boundaries: Managers must enforce communication standards to prevent burnout and encourage techs to problem-solve.
  • “When you give...When you call me, I will help you as long as you provide me with three solutions to the problem that you have...If you don't give me three solutions, I will hang up.” – Tersh (33:00)
• Dramatic Results: Once boundaries are set, call volume and crisis moments drop dramatically, freeing leaders to focus on growth.
  • “That next week they literally...it went to 12 phone calls the whole week.” – Tersh (34:02)
• Documentation & Accountability: Justin emphasizes the importance of one-to-one forms, documentation, and structured communication to replace punitive accountability with collaborative problem-solving.

4. Service Manager Academy: Structured Manager Development (35:47 – 38:12)

• Live & Virtual Training: A 12-week, cohort-based program with weekly live sessions and office hours, capped at 20 participants for accountability.
• Practical Tools: Plug-and-play forms for one-to-ones, performance tracking, and accountability.
  • “Each one of these classes is limited to 20 people...The point is to get these people that are going to be in the service manager role equipped to be service managers.” – Justin (35:52)
• Servant Leadership Focus: Encourages managers to help techs discover their own solutions and take proactive roles in their development.

5. Changing Workforce Expectations & Industry Culture (40:41 – 42:40)

• Soft Skills Matter: Communication and people skills can be more valuable than technical experience, as seen when hiring outside the industry.
  • “We hired a guy who was a college theater teacher… his communication was so much better than all of our other techs.” – Josh (40:41)
• Generational Shifts: Past “80-hour workweek” mindsets no longer attract or retain great talent. Modern managers must connect with employees’ “why.”
  • “Back in the day, it didn't. Nobody gave a about your why ... That is just. If you run a business that way now, there's no good people, nobody wants to work for you.” – Justin (41:39–42:21)

6. Advice for Owners & Service Managers

• Be Friendly, Not (Best) Friends: It’s possible to have good working relationships without blurring boundaries.
• Continuous Upgrading: Regular evaluations (“upgrade season”) ensure the right talent for each role and minimize impact from “B” and “C” players.
• Role of Documentation: Regular, documented conversations prevent surprises at annual reviews and clarify expectations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Technical vs. Leadership Skills:
  • “It's not to say that they can't be good service managers. The challenge is it's different skill sets. It's two completely different skill sets.” – Justin (18:41)
• On Lack of Training/Support:
  • “You should get a pay cut. You literally don't know what you're doing. Like, you're doing a brand new job, just like a new apprentice would be coming on.” – Tersh (17:05)
• On Boundaries:
  • “If you don't set boundaries, they'll walk all over… They don't even know what boundaries to set.” – Justin (34:08)
• On Documentation & Reviews:
  • “If you're doing consistent one to ones, it becomes one of those things where you're giving your team the space to be able to find out what's going on.” – Justin (37:16)
• On Modern Management:
  • “Connecting the ‘why’s is so much more important now than it’s ever been.” – Justin (41:39)
• On Industry Appeal:
  • “There’s a ton of good people out there that want to work and can work. We as an industry, we got to do better at showing that next generation what it's like.” – Justin (38:57)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction and Guest Background: 01:25 – 07:15
• Tech-to-Manager Promotion Problems: 16:04 – 19:00
• Leadership Skill Gaps: 19:00 – 22:57
• Boundaries & Process Improvements: 31:56 – 34:25
• Service Manager Academy Details: 35:47 – 38:12
• Cultural & Generational Shifts in the Trades: 40:41 – 42:40
• Closing & Contact Info: 42:57 – 43:55

Conclusion

This episode is a candid, practical exploration of why the default approach of promoting top techs to management roles backfires in the skilled trades—and what can be done instead. Justin Dees’ Service Manager Academy provides actionable training and forms for up-skilling managers, focusing on leadership, accountability, and servant leadership. The hosts and guest agree: structured systems, ongoing training, and clear boundaries are essential for thriving businesses, satisfied techs, and sustainable growth.

Learn more or connect with Justin Dees:
servicemanagertraining.com

This summary delivers valuable context and learning for those who’d like to optimize their business, prep their next leaders, or simply avoid one of the most common and costly pitfalls in the trades.