Managing Made Simple – Details, episodes & analysis

You get the email, the meeting invite, or the change in direction.

And you feel your stomach drop.

But as a leader, your reaction does not stay private. Your team is watching, interpreting, and modeling what they see.

In this episode, I break down how leaders can acknowledge difficulty without spreading panic and how small shifts in behavior create steadier teams.

You’ll learn:

• Why teams mirror a leader’s emotional response
• How venting can accidentally lower morale
• What to say when something frustrating happens
• How to validate challenges without amplifying fear
• A quick conversation that helps people refocus
• Ways to build confidence during setbacks
• How emotional steadiness improves performance

If you want your team to stay calm, capable, and solution oriented during tough moments, this episode will show you how.

Best for founders, executives, and managers responsible for setting the emotional tone at work.

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

Your employee wants to be in more meetings.

Or you inherit a team and have to give feedback on work you never saw.

Or maybe, you say your calendar is open, but people still feel left out.

And you are thinking, why are these requests so complicated?

In this episode, I break down real questions managers are asking and show you how to uncover what your team actually needs underneath the surface.

You’ll learn:

• Why requests for access are usually about something deeper
• How belonging and clarity show up as logistical problems
• What to do when someone wants visibility you cannot give
• How to handle feedback for work you did not oversee
• Why open access does not automatically create inclusion
• The fast question that reveals the real issue
• How to respond in a way that builds trust and ownership

If you have ever walked away from a conversation feeling confused or irritated, this episode will help you translate what your team is trying to communicate.

Best for founders, operators, and managers navigating growing complexity.

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

What if your team isn’t burned out, they’re just over it?

In this episode of The New Manager Playbook, I sit down with Grace Lee, our new GenZ brand manager, for a raw, honest conversation about what’s really going on inside today’s workplace. Grace shares what it's like to be a 20-something navigating a job market that’s flooded, unstable, and full of uncertainty, and how that shapes engagement, loyalty, and motivation.

We talk about:

• Why Gen Z sees jobs like dating apps, and what that means for retention
• The pressure to stay in roles that don’t feel like a fit (and why that’s not laziness)
• The one thing every leader can do to spark loyalty, and it doesn’t cost a dime

If you’re wondering why your team feels disengaged, or why your best hires don’t stay, this episode will shift your perspective and give you practical steps to build real connection that keeps people around.

Listen now to hear how small shifts in how you lead can reignite energy across your team.

And if you want support in navigating all of this on your team, it's time to bring The New Manager Playbook Program to your team. Get on the list for my new digital manager development program, changing the game of digital management training by making it efficient, cost-effective, and scalable. 

Get on the list for early access at liagarvin.com/program

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

This week on the pod, I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new book, The Unstoppable Team. In this episode, we dive into the inspiration behind the book and how it offers practical solutions for business owners, managers, and team leaders. Drawing from my experience working with business owners and leading team operations in big tech, I share insights on simplifying team management and driving business growth.

The Unstoppable Team serves as a go-to guide to streamline team operations, align individual roles with company goals, and create a positive work environment. Join me in harnessing the power of team management to propel your business to new heights.

Grab a copy of The Unstoppable Team on Kindle for a the special price today of only $0.99, and let's embark on this journey of demystifying people management together.

ORDER THE BOOK HERE

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Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: liagarvin.com/scorecard

Book your Scale-up strategy call to dive into where you're getting stuck with your team and learn more about how we can work together: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy 

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liagarvin/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

Do you have an emergency plan in place that your team can "break the glass" on when you are absent from the office?

If not, then you need a coverage plan!

If you aren't familiar, a coverage plan is something you put together to make sure that if you can't make it into work for any reason and for any amount of time, your team will be able to function as normally as possible.

Coverage plans include which of your tasks need to continue to get done on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis; who on your team will be performing those tasks; who will be in charge of making decisions while you're gone; and much, much more.

The goal here is to make sure that when life happens—whether you get sick, you want to go on vacation, or have any other reason for being absent—your business doesn't miss a beat.

But where do you even begin with a coverage plan? Let's go over it together!    

What if you could keep a management and team operations Swiss Army Knife in your pocket? Now you can with my Team Whisperer 3-month consulting sprint: https://www.liagarvin.com/monthly-consulting

Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: https://www.liagarvin.com/checklist

Book your Scale-up strategy call to dive into where you're getting stuck with your team and learn more about how we can work together: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy 

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

If you've ever wondered, "why can't I get through to my team?" - the issue might not be you, and it might not be your team - there's just a disconnect in the message where things are getting lost in translation. But there are ways to bridge this gap so you can get back on the same page, AND people who specialize in just that. 

If you've been following along for a while, you've probably heard me call myself a Team Whisperer before. But what exactly does a Team Whisperer DO...and how can having one help you fix just about any communication breakdown in your business?

You might be surprised by just how many answers there are to that question...and how many problems in your business can be solved with just one additional team member.

What if you could keep a management and team operations Swiss Army Knife in your pocket? Now you can with my Team Whisperer 3-month consulting sprint: https://www.liagarvin.com/monthly-consulting

Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: https://www.liagarvin.com/checklist

Book your Scale-up strategy call to dive into where you're getting stuck with your team and learn more about how we can work together: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy 

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liagarvin/

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

"How do I make my team members respect me as a manager?"

Spoiler alert...you can't.

Respect isn't automatic, and it can't be forced. Your team isn't going to respect you just because you're "in charge"...but there are things you can do to earn that respect! We want to show our team members that we aren't out of reach or out of touch.

We want to show we understand their jobs and want to support them...

And all it takes is a willingness to get our hands dirty...and a bit of accountability.

Get your very own Ops Playbook, tailored to YOUR business and team, to simplify your team ops: https://www.liagarvin.com/playbook

Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: https://www.liagarvin.com/checklist

Book your Scale-up strategy call to dive into where you're getting stuck with your team and learn more about how we can work together: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy 

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/ 

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

What if I told you that one of the people costing you the most money in your business...is you?

What are you doing to cost yourself all that cash? Are you not doing enough? Do you need to work harder? Do you need to be more involved with the team’s work?

Actually, it’s exactly the opposite: you need to be less involved. Because when you’re too hands-on with your team’s projects, you might find yourself becoming the dreaded "B" word: a bottleneck.

When you have a bottleneck in business, it means something—or someone—is causing work to slow down. And oftentimes, that someone is us.

But don't panic! I have three simple strategies you can use to break that bottleneck wide open and get things flowing again, and I'm sharing them with you today.

Book an SOS call with me: https://www.liagarvin.com/sos

Get your very own Ops Playbook, tailored to YOUR business and team, to simplify your team ops: https://www.liagarvin.com/playbook

Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: https://www.liagarvin.com/checklist

Book your Scale-up strategy call to dive into where you're getting stuck with your team and learn more about how we can work together: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy 

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/ 

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

I've got an exciting announcement...

This episode marks the accomplishment of a truly mind-blowing milestone: today, we're celebrating 100 EPISODES of Managing Made Simple! WOOHOO!

We're going to kick this celebration off by revisiting some of our "top plays" of the podcast, featuring advice on leadership from six of our favorite interviews from MMS.

These incredible mentors, experts, and coaches—all leaders in their own right—brought some nuggets of wisdom that even blew MY mind. And trust me, once you're done listening...you're not going to be the same manager you were at the start.

Let's get this party started!  

Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: https://www.liagarvin.com/checklist

Book your Scale-up strategy call to dive into where you're getting stuck with your team and learn more about how we can work together: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy 

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

Have you ever looked at all the projects your team is working on and realized that you have absolutely no clue how any of them are going...but you're afraid to reach out and ask for an update?

You're not alone. Many managers struggle with the fear of becoming a micromanager, or being perceived as one, because they've had a micromanager themselves. I know I've been micromanaged before...and I know how demoralizing it can be.

However, we can't let this fear keep us in the dark on the status of our team's projects.

Luckily, there are three simple changes you can make to ensure you get regular updates on project status...WITHOUT being overbearing. Let's go over them together!

Book an SOS call with me: https://www.liagarvin.com/sos

Get your very own Ops Playbook, tailored to YOUR business and team, to simplify your team ops: https://www.liagarvin.com/playbook

Want a checklist of things you can do THIS week to become a better manager (and make your job easier)? Check out my Thriving Team Checklist for a list of quick actions you can take right away with your team: https://www.liagarvin.com/checklist

Book a FREE Scale-up strategy call to for strategies to scale your team and get time back for yourself: calendly.com/liagarvin/scaleup-strategy?back=1&month=2023-08    

Website: https://www.liagarvin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvin/

Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.

I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.

Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com