Mike Andes says hire operations managers with field experience or risk a revolt from on-site crews. Someone who just shows up in a suit won't earn respect. The same goes for estimators and office managers: they need to understand what extreme heat or cold actually feels like.
What should I look for in an operations manager? I think first and foremost, they must have operational experience that is in the field. I think if you hire someone that does not have operational experience, does not have field experience, you're going to have a revolt from your guys that are out in the field because they don't respect someone that just comes in with a suit on and a tie and gets a big bonus and sits in an office in an AC unit all day. Like they need to see someone that's done it, been there, knows what they feel like. I personally look for that in an operations manager. Same thing with estimators. I want them to be knowing what it feels like to be out in the field and for the crew to know that that operations manager, that estimator, that office manager knows what they are feeling when it's super hot, when it's super cold, etc.
