Managing Made Simple

Are conflicting motivations creating friction in your team? In this episode of Managing Made Simple, we delve into the keys to aligning your team's values and priorities, breaking down barriers between departments, and fostering collaboration. Learn how to transform "us versus them" mindsets into a cohesive, productive environment. Tune in and take your team to the next level. -- Gr...

Today I'm answering a question I get at least once a week: how do I create a strong culture on my team? Culture can feel abstract, ethereal even. But there are specific things you can do on your team or in your business to foster and fuel a culture that will lead not only to higher retention, but better results.  In this episode, I talk about things to consider when developing team values, an...

I'm going to tell you something you might not want to hear... Being a "well-liked" manager doesn't make you a GOOD manager. Many managers think that being someone who loves people, loves mentoring, and loves developing their team members makes them a good manager all by itself, and while that's a huge portion of the job...that's not enough. Luckily, the other pieces o...

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...

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. Cov...

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 whil...

"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 sho...

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 you...

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 mento...

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...

It's a new year. That means a new quarter, new goals, new ideas... And, for many people, it may mean a new job. When a team member leaves abruptly, it can throw us all for a loop. And as much as we want to support that team member in their transition and celebrate them flourishing in their career...we also have to immediately begin working on damage control. Our other team members will be loo...

One of the most difficult parts of managing a team is trying to implement a change to team operations. When you want to make a shift in how work gets done, no matter how beneficial it may be for the team, people are going to resist it. No one likes change. But if we can simplify the process of implementing changes and finally get our operations shifted the way they need to be...getting work done s...

There's one question I get from business owners and managers that absolutely breaks my heart: "Is it too late for my team?" First of all, the answer is NO—it is not too late for your team, no matter how hopeless or stuck you might feel, no matter how unmotivated they seem, no matter how unwilling they are to change. Even if you think you've tried everything, there's always...

Eager to set meaningful goals for the new year, but not quite sure where to start? In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I share a simple two-part framework for setting goals around what you want to ACHIEVE and how you want to FEEL by the end of the year, so you can accomplish whatever you set out to in your business or career without burning out.  Best part is this is a great framework to shar...

There is a phrase that I have been hearing over the last few weeks that has left me a bit mind-boggled… “Process for process’s sake.” This phrase actually came up in a workshop I was leading for a corporate client around optimizing time. I heard teams saying, “I don’t want there to be process for process’s sake,” or, “It feels like this is just us thinking of new processes for process’s sake.” I w...

Let me see if this story sounds familiar... We hire great people. We pay them well. We inspire them to do great work... And yet, more often than not, they come in and do the bare minimum expected of them. This isn’t the same as neglecting their responsibilities—they’re accomplishing their tasks, kind of—but we often know that they have more potential than that. So how do we get them from just show...

Spoiler alert, my beloved business owner friends...   If you're a business owner with people working under your supervision...guess what? You're a manager. Congratulations on your new (well, new-ISH) title! In all seriousness...this is actually something I see a lot of business owners run into. They don't realize that when they have a team, they're not just a business owner who...

This week, I want to equip you with a tool you can use to simplify your team operations almost immediately: the Thriving Team Checklist! As managers, it's easy for small things (or big things that don't necessarily fall into the realm of our day-to-day responsibilities!) to slip through the cracks. This doesn't mean we're doing a poor job, or that we're bad managers—it jus...

What better time to talk about the importance of gratitude than on Thanksgiving week (for those of us based in the US) - but the truth is, we should be appreciating our team members ALL of the time.  In episode 90 of Managing Made Simple, I talk about what happens on our teams without a regular practice of recognition, appreciation, and gratitude, and share three simple strategies for appreciating...

There is one simple, easy-to-implement tool you can use to reduce turnover, streamline workflows, and boost team morale... One-on-one meetings. If you didn't know that one-on-ones are a necessity for a thriving team, that's all right—not many do! But after an experience I had with a mentee, I came to realize just how crucial one-on-one meetings with our team members are...and just how mu...

There's one question that I know you've probably asked yourself at least once... "Why can't my team members just read my mind?" No, I haven't been reading YOUR mind - I've just been there! In fact, I'd hazard a guess that EVERY manager has been there at one time or another. We all sometimes wish that we could hire a clone of ourselves to work on our team and...

With 2024 rushing toward us at breakneck speed, it's time to start deciding what we're going to prioritize in our businesses to finish out the end of the year. As managers and business owners, we have a very unique skill: we can see dire importance in EVERY task we set in front of our teams, no matter how small. But this skill can also cause a bit of a problem: because we see everything...

What if I told you that it only takes one simple mindset reframe to save you a heap of time, money, and stress? Reframing people's perspectives is my jam. I'm obsessed with reworking your view on certain things to reveal the opportunities that have always been there...you just couldn't see them. Today, I'm going to help you reframe your view around delegation. When we delegate,...

When it comes to being a manager it can feel like there are so many things you have to get right. But when you cover off on the basics, you've laid such strong foundation to have a high functioning team.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Jackie Koch, Founder/CEO of People Principles and HR expert, where dive into simple strategies for nailing your 1:1s, onboarding,...

There's a reason that onboarding is the very first thing we talk about inside my Ops Playbook. When we don't onboard our employees thoughtfully - both new and new to their role - we can accidentally prevent them from achieving the kind of success and creating the kind of impact they're capable of while working on our team. There are two common beliefs surrounding onboarding that I&a...