9 Lessons for Technicians Learning to Lead

For technicians stepping into management, the learning curve can be steep. Lab owners say the strongest new managers build credibility through everyday actions: how they communicate, respond to mistakes, earn trust and stay connected to the team. Here’s their advice for learning to lead:

1. Manage to the individual. One-size-fits-all leadership rarely works. Chris Morris, CEO of MicroDental Laboratories, says one of the most important lessons managers can learn is that different employees require different approaches.

“You can’t just have one way of leading or educating. Some people want direct, concise and to-the-point directions and others want the ‘why’ behind what they’re doing. Some employees thrive on consistent positive feedback and others don’t need it as often,” he says. “Personally, I think that’s what makes a really good manager: getting the outcome you want by knowing...