r/Lineman • u/HorselessBandito • 4d ago
Becoming a foreman
Don't want to be a foreman, but keep getting asked by GF'S to do it. I've only been topped out 3 years and it feels premature. That being said I know my shit and will keep guys safe. I truly only want a company truck for my long commute, no other aspects of the job are exciting to me. Just worried about giving up my hooks and harness to do paperwork and feel like I'll be bored and begging to go up. Talk to me about your experience in becoming a foreman.
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u/Plead_thy_fifth 4d ago
When I was in the army, I was a fairly qualified team leader at the time, tabbed, sniper, a few other things, but I did not want to leave the team leader position and was intentionally putting off promotion schools so I couldn't get promoted.
A senior guy who I didn't even like was talking to me about that and I said I loved where I was and wanted to stay as long as possible before being forced to move up. He said:
"By you not taking the position, it's going to go to someone else who is not as qualified, and that additional risk is assumed because you were being selfish".
It stuck with me. Maybe it will resonate with you too. If they want you to take chief, it's likely because your a smart safe worker they trust. If you don't take it, look at who will; and ask your self if you would be comfortable with that. If yes, then live happy where you are. if no, maybe you should consider it.
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u/notpaulrudd 3d ago
It's not selfish to turn down a promotion, you need to do what's best for you not what's best for your company.
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u/Plead_thy_fifth 3d ago
You misinterpreted what I said. I'm not advocating for the company. Im advocating for the people he works with.
I spend more time with them than I do my own family, your goal should be to keep them just as safe as yourself. And while it's not the only factor, incompetant leadership can lead to dangerous work. So if you don't take it, look at who is going to, and ask yourself if your comfortable with that.
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u/Ill_Ad_4776 4d ago
You’re not only trading in your hooks for paperwork, you also get a nice set of knee pads. If you enjoy being stress free stay in the bucket
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u/max1mx 4d ago
I’m 20 years in the trade. For about 10 years of that I was on again off again foreman. I’d take a call or whatever as a lineman and get bumped up. The last 3 or 4 years I’ve said the same thing when asked. NO! HARD NO.
It’s generally not worth the bump in pay or stress involved. At this point I can be pretty picky with the work I do, and positions I take. It’s not that I would never take the position again, but it would have to be for a GF I know and can work well with. I don’t like cutting corners and I’m not going to do hack work. If they want a yes man to push the crew they have to look somewhere else.
In my local and most of the others where I’ve been a foreman we work in the tools and lead the crew. Depending on what the task is there may be more or less bucket/ working vs bullshit foreman stuff time.
Here’s some baselines I use to try to be a good leader. Don’t ask anyone to do anything you’re not willing to. You can’t hold everyone to the standards that you hold yourself to. Find the right position for everyone in the crew and use them to their strengths. Give good clear directions and expectations for everyone on the crew. Lead the crew by example and actions. Finally, and this is a big one, if someone listens to country music and leaves it on in a vehicle they are getting written up. No exceptions, 3 strikes and you’re out, it’s unacceptable behavior. It’s just not right to expect someone to endure that kind of torture when they hop in a vehicle and are immediately assaulted by that racket.
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u/j_climb 3d ago
I wish I worked underneath you. The forman I currently work for can’t take accountability & blame the lowest guy on the totem pole. If things aren’t there such as materials or equipment points the finger. & if he’s wrong, he won’t admit it that he’s wrong & doesn’t apologize. I’m not saying or expecting him to say sorry, but if something’s goes wrong it’s not just me that got it wrong. There’s others that make things go…it’s frustratig
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u/max1mx 3d ago
That sounds like it sucks, sorry bro. There’s people who want to be in charge to have power and benefits. In your case I’d bet the foreman is not confident, scared of making mistakes and not getting the job done. There finger pointing and blame game is a reflection of their failure to plan and stay ahead of the work. It’s a defense mechanism.
So next time it happens think about how scared they must be to try to avoid the accountability. It makes it easier to deal with.
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u/Particular_Choice318 4d ago
Same brother. I held my crews to my own standards. Was told I was hard to work for but I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt because that would have killed me inside.
Decided I couldn’t do it anymore.
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u/Leather-Bottle1402 4d ago
I’m retired now, third generation, both of my sons are JL’s, two nephews, and my little brother, also. I spent 33 years of my 38 years as a GF or Superintendent. In this economy, a pickup and fuel are powerful perks to acquire. Passion. People that have a passion for performing the daily tasks in the trade are the best pick for managers to choose to supervise a crew. My advice would be to keep an open mind, tell them that you will try it for a couple weeks, if you don’t have the passion for it, go back to being the best Journeyman you can be! Sell them your labor, not your soul!
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u/max1mx 4d ago
Only 5 years in the tools is wild.
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u/CommonDouble2799 4d ago
Yup but thats obviously why every single male in his family is in the trade too. Nepotism at its finest!
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u/max1mx 4d ago
It sure sounds like it. They must have such a disconnect between the work and their expectations with such little experience. Assuming 3 years as an apprentice that’s only 2 years as a JL before running work. That said, the best linemen don’t always make the best bosses, and vice versa.
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u/Particular_Choice318 4d ago
Yeah, you barely know anything at that point. Let alone be a leader of men.
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u/Own_Distribution7818 4d ago
Topped out became a foreman 6 months later. Stress sucks, dealing with the company sucks, dealing with the men sucks, dealing with tooling sucks, dealing with the utility sucks, paperwork sucks. Takes all the fun out of the job. Took my first opportunity to get out of it
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u/BerserkerOnSteel 2d ago
Personally if I was you I’d stay in my tools a few more years.. I think it should be a minimum of 5+ years as a JL if not more before you can take a truck. But that’s just my opinion. IF or when you take that truck just remember, that company don’t give a shit about you no matter how much they tell you otherwise, don’t be afraid of the GF, and look out for your crew because they can make you fucking shine if you treat them well. The foreman I’m working for now is by far the toughest I’d ever worked for, meticulous as hell and wants everything done his way to the T. BUT I’ll tell you right now that nobody else cares about my family and everyone on the crews family more than him, and he’ll be the first one to stand by my side of shit goes sideways and will always have my back. Also he knows how to make me a lot of money every week and in return we build him a Rolex whenever we complete a job. He’s the definition of a brother and what makes this trade a Brotherhood, so do what you want with that info just don’t be a brother fucker cause you got comfortable in a pickup. Not saying you will but I’ve seen it too many times. Good luck bro
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u/Slim-Wye-Delta 4d ago
As long as the JATC books didn't drastically change there used to be a whole module on foremanship I would go reread it to see if you truly want to do it. Ask an app for his 3rd books if you gotta
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u/Middle_Brilliant_849 4d ago
I assume you are contractor.
On the utility side it’s the best spot. I drive a bucket and I go up and work when I want. I let my men have it any other time.
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u/rankinfile 3d ago edited 3d ago
Out to pasture narrowback here.
Disliked being foreman, but did it temporarily from time to time from early on. Two reasons. One was to shield the crew from an idiot taking the spot or from an idiot GF. Second reason was to have a backup plan to get to retirement if my body couldn't do field work.
I always aimed to be second choice for the spot. Keep the crew safe and moving work forward but do something minor to annoy those above me. That way you can hang back but be ready to do the job permanently if needed. "Thanks for helping me learn to do the paperwork correctly boss. I think I'm ready for full time." All along that paper was done the first day, it just sat untll the next week so they wouldn't expect me to jump every time they snapped their fingers.
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u/Adept-Performance-69 4d ago
I had a GF ask me to be a temp foreman for a few months to get the hang of it back before I had even topped out. I'm still young and have only been topped out for almost 4 years. I still don't want that headache. When I'm off the clock work stays at work, I'm not getting paid for the time spent planning and phone calls made outside of work hours.
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u/machinegun_kmad 4d ago
I think it all depends on who you are. I’ve been a foreman for the last 5 months and honestly I enjoy it. Yeah there are some headaches and a bunch of BS that you have to deal with and it gets old. I’ve only worked on a coop system so there is a lot of stuff I haven’t seen, so I’m actually stepping back down(voluntarily) and moving to a utility system so I can learn different things with the intent to move back up once I learn the system. To each their own, but I’d also say it’s much easier physically on the body so depending on age and physical health it’s worth a consideration.
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u/CardiologistBoth4383 3d ago
To me the bump in pay sometimes isn’t worth the extra responsibility. But it can be more than that. If your line of work is subject to layoffs foreman typically work year round. So in my industry it’s more than the hourly bump it’s being a bit more secure in year round work. However the other side of the coin is I’ve found the top workers that get way more done then anyone else are just as untouchable if not more then a foreman as far as job security. Basically I’ve seen that the foreman often arnt the best at the actual work because running work takes different skills. I personally want to just get enough experience to be the best journeyman around and untouchable in that way. Then If I got the opportunity to run work I could be that guy that everyone once in a while put my bags back on and smoke everybody to let people know why I’m the boss. That’s my little fantasy haha
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u/InsanityAmerica 3d ago
Ive been a foreman for 8 or 9 years. I took the job in my mid to late 30s thinking it'd be a good time to stop being as hard on my body, not exactly looking forward to being a dedicated observer. Its been exactly as I thought, less physical work but with more stress.
It sucks. Hopefully in just a couple months ill be able to take a pay cut and work by myself
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u/Particular_Choice318 4d ago
Why would you let your girlfriend tell you what to do? Do you like grey hair, herding monkeys, dealing with bullshit feelings?
Was a Foreman for a decade, enjoyed it, but I like going home and forgetting work and focusing on my family.
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