Contractor Tip of the Month: Nothing Shines Like a New Pair of Shoes

Words: Damian Lang

The Leadership Lesson Behind Every New Hire

Every organization experiences defining moments when leadership evolves. Bringing on a new manager is more than a personal decision, it’s a strategic investment in capability and culture. The anticipation that follows blends hope for what’s possible, excitement about new beginnings, and a shared vision of progress rippling through the organization.

Recently, I found myself in that familiar season of optimism that follows a key leadership decision. We had just concluded the recruitment of a manager whose experience, personality, and leadership philosophy seemed to be strongly aligned with our company’s objectives. I was eager to embed him into the role and start driving the operational and cultural gains we had envisioned.

Soon after, my friend and fellow business owner Mark Rizzo was in town to review our operations and discuss strategy. Over cocktails on my porch, I mentioned our dynamic new hire, someone I was convinced would not only be promising but pivotal for the company.

I described how the team already seemed more focused and motivated, and how our projects were suddenly moving forward with renewed energy and purpose.

Mark listened quietly. When I finished outlining my excitement, he gave a knowing smile and said, “Nothing shines like a new pair of shoes.”

My puzzled look prompted him to explain that it was something his grandfather used to say, a reminder that new things always look their best at first, but time reveals their true quality. The old man’s wisdom came from a lifetime spent working with his hands and watching people and businesses rise, fall, and rebuild.

It was a simple truth with broad relevance across business and leadership. When you first get a new pair of shoes, they’re bright and eye-catching, drawing compliments that make you stand a little taller. They bring a sense of anticipation for where you’re headed. But the true test of shoes isn’t in their initial appeal, it’s in how they hold up over time.

Do they still fit comfortably when the day gets long and tiring? Can they withstand rough roads, rainy days, and unexpected detours? The initial excitement is natural, but it’s only the beginning of the story.

As I continued talking with Mark, I kept circling back to my excitement about our new manager. Each time, he’d respond with the same line: “Nothing shines like a new pair of shoes.” In retrospect, I realize he wasn’t being dismissive. He was reminding me that early optimism can outpace reality.

The Test of Fit
The first days and weeks with the new manager were filled with energy and promise. He arrived ready to work, full of ideas, and determined to make an impact. His enthusiasm spread quickly, and people who had been quiet or disconnected began volunteering for new assignments and collaborating on long-standing challenges.

The “shine” was real. You could see it in how the team rallied around his fresh direction, tackled projects with urgency, and looked to the future with optimism. But as with any new pair of shoes, time would reveal whether the fit was absolutely right and whether that initial spark could last.

Reality Sets In
The early progress was promising, but as weeks passed, subtle shifts started to occur. Our new manager’s “shine” started to dull. Employee morale declined, and customer satisfaction started to falter. The energy behind newly launched initiatives lost momentum. Deadlines slipped, and the urgency that once drove performance began to wane.

Communication, which seemed effortless at first, grew strained and less productive. Meetings dragged on without direction, and the team’s initial enthusiasm gave way to confusion and frustration.

At first, I dismissed these signs as typical growing pains that accompany any transition. Every team needs time to adjust to a new leader, and challenges are a regular part of that process. But it soon became clear that these issues were more than just temporary setbacks. The cracks that appeared were not closing. In fact, they were widening.

I found myself reflecting on my conversation with Mark, realizing that his grandfather’s wise words were playing out right before my eyes. Our promising new hire wasn’t equipped to carry us through the challenges we faced. Rather than improving and solving problems, we found ourselves facing new ones.

Lessons Learned
The excitement of bringing on someone new is important. It energizes the team and injects hope into the organization. But that excitement is only the first phase of a much longer process. The true measure of a successful hire emerges once the luster fades and the day-to-day realities set in.

What really matters after early enthusiasm is resilience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate obstacles with integrity and skill.

As I worked through this situation, I found myself returning to Mark’s point about the new shoes. The shine never lasts forever. It reminded me that early enthusiasm can inspire progress, but it can’t replace discipline or sustained execution. First impressions, the confidence in an interview or impressive résumé, can catch your attention, but they don’t always reveal how someone will perform when the pressure is on and expectations rise.

The real measure lies in stability, judgment under pressure, and the ability to execute when circumstances change.

In the end, our journey with the new manager wasn’t all bad. It challenged us, clarified what we value in leadership, and left us with insights worth carrying forward. The “shine” of a new leader is a powerful force, but it’s the durability, comfort, and fit that sustain progress once the initial excitement fades.

Every leader will experience this pattern of optimism, adjustment, and understanding. The challenge as well as the reward is learning to tell the difference between polish and promise.

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Damian Lang is CEO of Lang Masonry Contractors, Wolf Creek Construction, Buckeye Construction and Restoration, 3 Promise Labor Services, FlexCrew, Malta Dynamics Fall Protection and Safety Company, and EZG Manufacturing. To view the products and equipment his companies created to make job sites safer and more efficient, visit his websites at ezgmfg.com or maltadynamics.com. To receive his free e-newsletters or to speak with Damian about his management systems or products, email dlang@watertownenterprises.com or call 740-749-3512.

Contractor Tip of the Month: Nothing Shines Like a New Pair of Shoes

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