Managing Made Simple

If you’ve ever found yourself suddenly leading people you used to work alongside , you know how complicated that can be. In today’s episode, we’re tackling one of the trickiest leadership challenges—managing former peers, where I’ll share three essential strategies for managing former peers while keeping the relationship intact. Tune in to learn how to set boundaries, have tough conversations, and...

As leaders, we often focus on giving feedback, but how often do we ask for it? In today’s episode, I’m diving into why asking for feedback from your team is just as important as giving it. By making feedback a two-way street, you build trust, create psychological safety, and foster stronger relationships with your team. I’ll share practical tips on how to ask for feedback effectively, what questio...

Do you really know how your team is doing, or are you just kinda guessing? In today’s episode, I’m breaking down a stat that really caught my attention—89% of managers think their team members are thriving, but only 24% of employees agree. That’s a 65% disconnect! In this episode, I dive into why leaders can be so out of touch with how their teams are really feeling and what to do to fix it. We’ll...

When hiring new team members, the pressure is on. We want to get it right, but there are so many things to consider that it can be really overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! In today’s episode, I break down the key steps to hiring well—from defining what you need to set your new hires up for success. Find out how to assess candidates beyond their skills, ensure they align with your company’s...

In today’s episode, I tackle a common challenge for new managers: earning the respect of your team. Whether you’re stepping into a leadership role for the first time, managing former colleagues, or navigating new team dynamics, getting your team on board can feel like an uphill battle. I’ll share practical tips on how to build genuine relationships, assert your authority, and set clear communicati...

As leaders, we often struggle with delegating, telling ourselves that we’re protecting our team from burnout. But is that the real thing stopping us? In this episode, I dive into the reasons why we sometimes hesitate to delegate and how we can overcome these challenges. From setting the right context to building trust and having load-balancing conversations, I’ll share practical tips to help you d...

Ever find yourself repeating the same instructions to your team, wondering why they aren’t following through? In this episode of Managing Made Simple , I dive into the root cause: lack of accountability. I’ll share practical strategies for building a culture where your team takes ownership and gets things done the first time. Learn how to effectively use task tracking systems, follow up consistent...

We all have those team members we know we can rely on for that last minute request, to jump in and fix a problem no one was able to solve, even to remember those birthdays and special moments that create a strong team culture. But are all recognizing the importance of their contribution to the team? Sadly, these folks often run the risk of being held back in their careers because we don't see...

The topic of burnout is constantly top of mind for team leaders and business owners, and let's face it, we all know it isn't solved with a spa day or even a 2-week vacation. In episode 133 of Managing Made Simple, I share concrete strategies for preventing yourself from burning out as a leader - because quitting your job or shutting down your business when everything feels like it's...

Employee turnover is EXPENSIVE. Not only from a time and money perspective, but for morale and motivation as well.... which ends up costing you money on the end anyway. The Gallup organization recently reported that 42% of employee turnover is preventable - so today I'm sharing three ways to keep the team members that you worked so hard to hire and onboard in the first place. Spoiler, all of...

We're all trying to save money where we can right now - but when it comes to paying your team members, that's not the place to trim the fat.  In this "hot take" episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about why we need to pay our team members well if we want them to do good work - and remind you to ask the question when determining what to pay someone "would you do a good...

It's not everyday you get to interview someone who has inspired so much of your work, it so exciting to bring Brittany Driscoll, CEO and Co-Founder of Squeeze massage franchise onto the show. When it comes to building great teams and scaling businesses, no one does it better than Brit; and in the episode she shares insights in how she helped grow Drybar from $30M to $100M, why investing in yo...

We've all been there - we thought carefully about a piece of feedback, rehearsed how we were going to say it, even stress tested it with a colleague, and then... the feedback conversation still goes sideways. THIS right here is one of the reasons feedback is so hard, because even when we think we're doing it right, we still can get it wrong.  In episode 129 of Managing Made Simple, I sha...

Frustrated that you're the only person in your business who seems to be stressing about revenue and profitability? In this QUICK WIN episode, I share a case study of how I helped a client shift the mindset of her team members to take an active role in bringing in new business.  This is an issue my clients share with me ALL OF THE TIME - and the solution is simpler than you think! Download my...

Time management - we all know we have to be better at it, any yet...  It's one thing when we notice it, but when we get too overloaded to the point where our teams noticed, we have to do something about it. In this episode, I share simple strategies to save you time every single week so you can feel less overwhelmed and get back to focusing on the most important things.  Download my FREE guid...

What is one thing you can do everyday on your team that motivates people and costs you zero money? Recognizing people! Yes, my friends, saying THANK YOU in a way that is genuine, specific, and actionable goes incredible lengths to drive higher retention and fuel better results. And yet, we often get busy and forget to do it.  In episode 126 of Managing Made Simple, I talk about meaningful ways to...

Boundary setting with our teams is one of those things that no matter how good we get at it, it keeps rearing it's ugly head. Doesn't mean you're doing something wrong, and certainly doesn't mean it's too late for your team or your business. It's just an opportunity to make some small shifts to free up time and space for yourself, while empowering your team members to...

When something isn't going the way you want it to on your team or in your business, it can be tempting to want to roll out a new policy to get people to fall in line. But policies signify compliance, and while we want people to meet expectations, compliance isn't necessarily the vibe we're wanting to communicate.  In episode 124 of Managing Made Simple, I talk about the difference b...

Receiving feedback might just be harder than giving it... ok, it's totally harder. Especially as a leader. A lot of times our team members have gripes about things happening on our teams and in our businesses without having the full context - project strategy shifts, team changes, work assignments - making it easy to want to jump to the defense. But by practicing the strategies I talk about i...

"Can I give you some feedback?" I've said it before and I'll say it again - the six SCARIEST words someone can say to another person. Am I right? But feedback is critical information we need to be sharing with our teams on a regular basis so they can operate at their best.  Feedback brings up all sorts of fears and misconceptions, that's why in this episode I'm diving...

Today I'm launching a new type of episode, Wednesday Trendsday, where I will pop open Google News and break down a popular workplace trend. This week is all about "quiet vacationing"... um what?! Let's talk about what it is, why it's happening, and how to prevent it.  Download my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convo Looking f...

When a team member isn't meeting their full potential, it can be frustrating as a manager and leader. We know they're capable of more, we feel like we've set them up for success, but something isn't quite there. When this happens, instead of jumping ship and assuming it's a lost cause, there is something you can do.  In episode this episode of Managing Made Simple, I share...

In trying to build connection with our team and get them to do something, we often use two fateful words that shoot ourselves in the foot: I NEED.  Something that is an expectation of a role on your team isn't a need, it's an expectation. It's part of that person's job. By saying "I need," you are asking them to be accountable to you, almost as if they are doing you a...

When it comes to running a high performing virtual team, the Bara Agency has it figured out. In this week's episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Justin Benson, the CEO of Bara Agency, where we talk about the importance of living your team values, how to create meaningful in-person moments even when fully remote, building a culture of accountability, and beyond.  About Justin: ...

What do knowing how long work takes to get done, meetings ending on time, and work all being tracked in one place have in common? They ALL save you time and money and are part of healthy team operations.  When I talk about team operations, people don't always understand what I mean off the bat - but it's the glue that holds all of the work that happens in your team and business together,...