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August 31, 2026 • 25 mins

Whether we’re promoted from tradie to supervisor, or shifting from tradie into parent, the change demands new behaviour.

Today we're joined by Leigh Ryan, a landscaper and supervisor from Gippsland, Victoria, who most tradies online know as Tradie Dad. When Leigh started sharing his life online, as a tradie, new father and supervisor, he started building a community who tuned in for the relatability of his lifestyle and challenges.

In this conversation, we get into:

👊 How to manage the change from ‘mate’ and ‘boss’

👶 Subtle ways that fatherhood changes tradie behaviour

🧪 Why experimentation is essential for leadership

Chapters:

0:00 – Coming Up

0:40 – Meet Leigh Ryan, aka Tradie Dad

2:06 – How Leadership Starts with Caring

3:20 – Transitioning from Tools to Supervising

4:09 – How to Lead a Trade Crew Day to Day

6:38 – Avoid This Costly Leadership Mistake

8:16 – Why Delegating Is the Hardest Part

9:49 – The Mental Load of Leadership Roles

10:51 – Going From Mate to Supervisor

13:31 – How Fatherhood Changed Him Onsite

15:10 – Caring Beyond the Work Mate Role

17:56 – Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health

20:58 – How to Support Trade Apprentices

23:21 – Finding Your Best Leadership

Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.

Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.

Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs toKnow About Leadership

If you want to connect with Leigh, you can reach him via:

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tradie.dad

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tradie_dad

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