Managing Made Simple

Having innovative and creative teams is something we all strive for, but we don't always know how to foster these qualities on our teams - especially when we're running from one deadline to the next. But when we think in terms of story, expectations, and learning, we're able to weave this into every fiber of our work.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Andr...

Here's what it feels like to be stuck in a rut as a manager or business owner: You feel like work follows you everywhere - even at home. You feel like you have too much work and not enough support. If you're a business owner, you might feel like you're not getting what you need from your team. You can't remember the last time you took any time for yourself without worrying abou...

When we hear the word “productivity,” we often think about getting more done, but that definition is incomplete. In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I’m joined by Tamara Myles, Author, Speaker, Instructor at UPenn where we discuss reframing our definition of “productivity” to include meaningful work, explore the link between meaning and wellbeing, and how leaders can help employees find meani...

When we try to ignore the small issues in our team operations, they WILL grow into huge disasters...and at that point, it's going to be ten times harder to actually SOLVE them. Trust me, I get it. I get why people shy away from taking a close look at what could be changed in their operations. It can feel too complicated. It can be frustrating. It can disrupt your team, which can then result i...

What is one of the biggest leadership lessons that applies both to managers in the corporate world and entrepreneur space? Investing in your people. When we lead with authenticity and demonstrate to our teams that we are invested in them and their growth, they not only will stay, but do better work.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Jillian Murphy, Sales & Business C...

We've all had those days when it feels like nothing is going right on your team. I mean "come on people!" But before you write off your team members and go down the path of thinking you need all new people, try a perspective shift.  In this episode I share ways to reframe this stuck feeling into one of opportunity but taking responsibility for how you're showing up, setting cle...

Being a manager comes with a whole set of challenges - but is there anything harder than managing a former friend or even family member? Especially when you have to deliver some tough feedback? In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Robyn Rapp, Leadership Development Coach & Facilitator, where we dig into some of the stickiest of situations as a manager. Fom managing a for...

Ah meetings. Love them or hate them, they're a part of working life. Depending on what industry you work in, you might even find yourself spending MOST of your week in meetings, making it paramount to ensure the time is being spent effectively.  That is why in this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about three simple shifts to make to your meetings to prevent them from going over, resul...

We know conceptually that inefficiencies in our team can cost us money, but we don’t always dive into see what this really looks like. But as fractional CFO Bridgette Boucha calls out in this episode of Managing Made Simple, “minutes are money.” In this conversation, we dive into how streamlining your team operations improves your bottom line as a business, the power of knowing your money story to...

We know we can't do *everything* ourselves in our teams and in our businesses, but sometimes doesn't it just feel like things would go faster if we could? Spoiler, not only does this belief actually slow us down, it makes our team members think we don't trust them, which leads to low morale and even lower productivity.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about the reaso...

We know we can't do *everything* ourselves in our teams and in our businesses, but sometimes doesn't it just feel like things would go faster if we could? Spoiler, not only does this belief actually slow us down, it makes our team members think we don't trust them, which leads to low morale and even lower productivity.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about the reaso...

To track or not to track? That is the question so many business owners and team leaders ask me when wrestling with how to have a better sense of the status of work on their team.  In a word: yes, track your work. But it's more nuanced than that, especially if we want it to save us time and money. In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about WHY we need to track work, and how to do it...

Remember that time when you got super frustrated about something that happened on your team that had NOTHING to do with that situation? We've all been there.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Danya Douglass Hunt, money mindset coach for entrepreneurs, where we talk about how mindset impacts your behaviors and actions; and strategies for reprogramming your subconscio...

Ah the performance review. It means well, but in reality it often created a whole lot of stress for both managers and team members without a ton of benefit. That is unless you build or deploy a system with more intention around the behaviors you want to track and measure. In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about just that. How to build a performance system that incentivizes the behavi...

When someone is new to a role, you’re catching them at their most excited and engaged. Your role as a manager is to keep them there. In this episode of managing made simple, I’m joined by Jess Heller, Executive & Leadership coach specializing in onboarding, where we discuss the ins and outs of onboarding in building a high performance team. We dive into how onboarding is an extension of recrui...

 Load balancing is something we need to continually do as a manager, but are we handling these conversations as effectively as we can be? When a team member comes to us overwhelmed our first instinct often is to jump right in and fix it, but that can often leave us solving the wrong problem. In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about how to frame the conversation so you know exactly whe...

As managers and leaders, we're no strangers to sprinting marathons. But there comes a time when we have to take a step backwards and ask ourselves, is this sustainable? In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Corene Phelps, hypnotherapist & somatic success coach for entrepreneurs and business leaders, where we discuss overcoming burnout and building resilience on teams...

Wanna save an extra 5-10 hours THIS WEEK? It's simpler than you think.  In today's episode of Managing Made Simple, I share three working norms that are not only guaranteed to save you time in your team or in your business, but they create a higher sense of clarity and motivation on your team. Give these a test and watch that time savings roll in.  -- Ready to become a better manager THI...

As team leaders or business owners, sometimes we get stuck in the belief that we have to be good at everything to be successful. But the truth is, real leadership is about recognizing where you have gaps and hiring great folks to fill those roles.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Staci Millard, Fractional COO and Business Mentor as we dive into how dialed-in operations...

Rationally, we all know that if we were able to delegate effectively we'd be able to get more done and scale ourselves as leaders, and yet... way easier said than done. In this episode of Managing Made Simple I talk about all things DELEGATING - why it's so important and three steps to doing it effectively. If you're experiencing meeting overload, are finding yourself too deep in th...

As managers, we're often thrown into the role, expected to just figure things out as we go along. This makes things way harder than they need to be, and often means our team members are at the brunt of our learning curve. But it doesn't have to be this way! In episode 64 of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Jack Kelly, Senior Contributor for Forbes in the workplace and career spac...

No one ever *wants* to be a micromanager, and yet, there are those days where you realize you're so deep in the weeds you should have brought your gardening tools. The problem, of course, is that the more we hold on, the less our team members step up, leading us to grab the reins even tighter.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about three signs you are falling into the trap of...

As leaders, our primary role is to serve our teams. And yet how many times have we had that manager or leader who doesn't really know what we need to feel successful? On this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Vashti Boyce, Founder/CEO of Wild Iris Consulting, where we talk about the importance of getting to know your team members, how to build inclusive teams, and trauma inf...

How many of us have had those weeks where it feels like NOTHING is going right? When we have back to back weeks like this, it can start to chip away at our confidence as a leader - and I'm here to put a stop to that spiral thinking right now. In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I talk about the importance on reflecting on wins as a manager, and how it build resilience for you personally...

As managers, it's on us to make sure our team members understand how their roles fit into the bigger picture, and there's no better way to do this than setting clear priorities and even clearer expectations.  In this episode of Managing Made Simple, I'm joined by Susan Ramirez, Founder & CEO of The National Angels nonprofit, where we talk about the Roles, Responsibilities, and E...