Managing Made Simple

Onboarding can make, or break, a new hire’s success. In this episode of The New Manager Playbook Podcast , I reveal the two biggest onboarding mistakes managers make, and how to avoid them. You’ll learn how to set clear expectations, keep new-hire enthusiasm high, and integrate them smoothly into the team. Whether you lead a small business or a corporate team, these tips will help you turn hiring...

Hiring mistakes are expensive—and avoidable. Learn how to hire well and protect your team. Subscribe for weekly manager tips! In this episode of the New Manager Playbook, Lia Garvin unpacks the three most common hiring mistakes that derail teams and cost businesses time, money, and high-performing talent. You’ll learn why moving too fast, underpaying, or hiring "divas" can wreck your tea...

Are you using AI in leadership or just hiding behind it? Discover how shortcuts like AI video clones and ChatGPT strategies are killing trust. Subscribe for more real-talk on leadership! What You’ll Learn: Why overusing AI as a leader can damage team trust and engagement Real-world stories about AI video clones, copy-pasted strategies, and feedback gone wrong How to use AI to elevate—not replace—y...

Your freelancer blew the deadline—now what? Learn how to manage freelancers the right way. Subscribe for more leadership tips! What You’ll Learn: Why fractional talent often fails to meet expectations—and how to fix it 3 proven freelancer management tips that actually work How to set expectations and onboard freelancers effectively What to do when a freelancer misses a deadline or underdelivers Ma...

In this episode of the New Manager Playbook, Lia Garvin tackles the growing frustration managers face—disengaged teams, missed deadlines, and a lack of accountability.  Discover how to shift from confirmation bias to clarity, set powerful expectations, and blend AI with your leadership skills to reignite ownership. Learn how to integrate AI into people management, drive performance with empathy, a...

AI tools can help—but what happens when your team leans on them too much? Discover how new managers can regain control, set clear expectations, and lead with purpose in an AI-driven workplace. Subscribe now for real-world leadership tools! What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to manage AI usage in the workplace with intention Signs your team may be overrelying on AI—and how to respond How to lea...

Too many leaders are jumping into AI hoping it’ll fix their workflows—but without clarity on what needs fixing, it might just make things worse. What You’ll Learn: How to identify the real problems AI should solve in your team. The biggest AI misuse traps managers fall into. A decision-making framework for evaluating automation tools. When AI helps—and when human leadership is irreplaceable. In th...

In this episode of The New Manager Playbook , Lia Garvin takes on a bold claim made by Sergey Brin — that managers are the easiest roles to automate.  Drawing from her experience at tech giants like Google, Apple, and Microsoft, Lia argues that great managers are far from obsolete — they're essential. Learn why leadership, empathy, and cross-functional communication remain irreplaceable in th...

Missed deadlines, unclear expectations, and endless meetings? These aren’t random problems—they’re symptoms of a deeper issue: lack of accountability. In this episode, discover how to fix that. Subscribe now! In this powerful episode, Lia Garvin breaks down what accountability really means (spoiler: it’s not blame or punishment) and how to create a team culture rooted in ownership. Learn practical...

Still Drowning in Meetings? Here’s How Smart Managers Reclaim Their Time Feeling overwhelmed? Here's how managers can reclaim 5+ hours every week. Subscribe now! In this episode of The New Manager Playbook , Lia Garvin tackles a challenge every leader faces: not having enough time. If you're a manager drowning in meetings, tasks, and pressure from above, this episode is your wake-up call...

Is constant change in your team leaving everyone confused, frustrated, or burned out? In this Ask Me Anything episode of The New Manager Playbook , Lia Garvin dives into the hidden reason so many teams lose steam: unclear expectations in constantly shifting roles. Responding to a powerful question from Stephanie, a rapidly scaling business owner, Lia shares how to maintain engagement while restruc...

Stressed about layoffs, burnout, or quiet quitting? Learn how to lead with clarity when everything feels chaotic. Subscribe for weekly manager tips! In this episode of the New Manager Playbook, Lia Garvin tackles one of today’s most pressing leadership challenges: navigating uncertainty without burning out—or losing your best people. From AI disruptions to economic shifts and employee burnout, lea...

Every new manager faces it—that creeping feeling of "Am I really cut out for this?" If you've recently stepped into a leadership role or have ever doubted your capabilities as a manager, this episode is for you. In this empowering edition of The New Manager Playbook , host and leadership coach Lia Garvin tackles imposter syndrome head-on and offers real strategies to overcome it and...

In this episode of The New Manager Playbook , leadership expert Lia Garvin tackles one of the most misunderstood topics in the workplace: giving feedback that actually helps your team grow—even if it makes them uncomfortable. Many new (and experienced) managers avoid feedback because they fear how it will be received. But here's the truth: growth doesn't happen in the comfort zone. If yo...

Ever wake up at 3AM worrying if your team is on track? You're not alone—and better yet, you don't have to live like that anymore. In this game-changing episode of the New Manager Playbook , Lia Garvin introduces the ultimate management hack: the Snippets Template—a simple but powerful weekly update system designed to give you total clarity without micromanaging. Whether you manage a remo...

When budgets tighten, what’s the first thing to go? Training, coaching, and team support. But as leadership expert Lia Garvin reveals in this episode of The New Manager Playbook , that’s one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make. Lia breaks down the true cost of inaction—from poor delegation and team inefficiencies to low morale, preventable turnover, and lost revenue. Drawing on real...

Feeling awkward or unsure about managing friends or former teammates? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out the hard way. In this episode of The New Manager Playbook, Lia Garvin breaks down one of the toughest leadership transitions—going from peer to boss—and shares real stories, hard lessons, and actionable strategies to help you lead with confidence, authority, and empathy. Wheth...

Are you constantly losing top talent and left wondering why ? You're not alone—but you can prevent it. In this episode of The New Manager Playbook , Lia Garvin uncovers the hard truth about preventable employee turnover and shows managers exactly how to stop being blindsided when team members quit. With research-backed insights and real-world strategies, you'll learn how to recognize the...

Think becoming a manager is just doing your old job—with people? Think again. In the very first episode of The New Manager Playbook , author and leadership coach Lia Garvin breaks down the biggest misconception new managers face: believing it’s the same job with extra meetings. Spoiler alert—it’s not. Whether you were just promoted, leading peers for the first time, or feeling like you're “fa...

Think your team isn’t ready or you just don’t have time to delegate? Think again. In this episode of The New Manager Playbook , leadership coach and author Lia Garvin reveals the surprising truth behind why delegation is so hard—and spoiler: it’s not a workload problem, it’s a trust issue. If you're a new or overwhelmed manager feeling like you have to do everything yourself, this is your wak...

"ChatGPT gave me the PERFECT step-by step plan to fix my team! I'll be out of the weeds by tomorrow!" We've said it, we've hoped for it, we've wanted it to be true. And... without these critical human steps, this approach is destined to fail. In this episode, I share the tale of an agency leader who thought AI would instantly solve his team management challenge that s...

"But if I don't micromanage, nothing gets done correctly!"  Yeah, no.... we've got to leave that myth in the past right now, because the truth is, it's only keeping you stuck and your team feeling disempowered.   In this episode, I talk about why micromanagement is NEVER the answer (even when it feels like your only option). Learn the two powerful alternatives that transfo...

"Where do I even stand on this team?" This simple question is what every team member secretly wonders - and yet... 78% of leaders wait until big milestones to provide recognition.  In this week's episode, I share why "pouring gas on what's going well" transforms average performers into team champions, how to avoid the ole' "compliment sandwich," and the...

"I'm going to HR!" - the four words that strike fear into every manager's heart... four words that might lead us to avoiding giving feedback altogether. Hey, I've been there too.  In this week's episode of Managing Made Simple, I share a story of feedback gone wrong and break down exactly how to handle defensive responses, people threatening to quit, and the worst of...

We've prepared a clear message, we've blocked out ample time for the conversation, and then our feedback conversation still goes sideways? We can wonder what the heck went wrong. That's why in today's episode, I'm breaking down the most important step to do BEFORE giving feedback: emotional regulation.  When we have to give feedback about something we're frustrated ab...