Podcast
Managing Made Simple
Hosted by Lia Garvin · EN
Managing Made Simple is a weekly leadership and management podcast for people managers, business owners, and founders who want to lead high-performing teams without falling back into the work themselves.
Each week, host Lia Garvin- 3x bestselling author and former team operations leader at Google, Apple, and Microsoft- breaks down the real, everyday challenges of leading teams, giving feedback, delegating, creating team accountability, high performing culture, retention, and more with performance with practical strategies you can implement immediately. Lia’s work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and Fortune.
With Lia, you get real talk and actionable leadership insights that make it easier to manage your team and get better results from your people.
If you’re asking leadership questions like:
• How do I get my team to take ownership and accountability for their work?
• Why do I have to repeat myself constantly as a manager?
• How do I know if I hired the wrong employee?
• How do I delegate effectively without things falling apart or micromanaging?
• How can managers tell if team members are overusing AI at work?
• What actually motivates employees today?
• How do I give feedback that actually moves the needle?
• How do I communicate vision, expectations, and strategy clearly?
• What are best practices for performance reviews, compensation, and growth conversations?
How do you lead a team through change, uncertainty, and rapid growth with confidence?
You’ll find the tools, frameworks, and leadership strategies you need to lead your team better, starting today.
Managing Made Simple:
✔ Corporate managers navigating continual change
✔ Founders & Business Owners scaling teams without burning people out
✔ Entrepreneurs balancing business strategy and people leadership
✔ Experienced leaders ready to modernize how they manage teams
New episodes drop every Tuesday, delivering leadership lessons, people management tools, and team-building strategies you can apply immediately.
Learn more at liagarvin.com
42episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The person you just hired didn't bring the ROI? Here's what to do.
2d ago00:17:18Tap to summarizeYou took a real risk and made that hire. 90 days later, you're wondering if it was the wrong call. Before you assume it's the wrong person: nine times out of ten, it isn't. In this episode, Lia Garvin breaks down what the hiring hangover actually is, why it happens across businesses of every size, and the specific shift that turns extra pairs of hands into owners who actually drive ROI.In this episode you will learn:What the hiring hangover is and why it shows up at the 90-day markThe difference between hiring an extra pair of hands and hiring an ownerWhy being in the same meetings as your team member is costing you more than you thinkWhat handing off a project end to end actually looks like in practiceHow to shift your current team into owner mode even if you didn't start thereResources mentioned:The Ops Playbook: liagarvin.com/contactDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →Why your team can't be your friends (and where the line actually is)
1w ago00:17:40Tap to summarizeYou thought she was a friend. Then the reorg came out and she found out with everyone else. What felt like a betrayal was a clarity problem. In this episode, Lia Garvin breaks down the difference between being friendly with your team and being their friend, what self-management really means before any other management tool can work, and the one thing to say upfront that changes the entire dynamic.In this episode you will learn:Why the betrayal your team feels when hard news hits is almost never about what you did, and what it actually isThe kinds of things you will always know as a leader that your team cannot know yet, and why that is the jobWhere the friendship line quietly blurs: lending money, bending policies, venting, inviting one person and not allWhat equitable management looks like and why it protects everyone, including youThe one sentence to say when you hire someone that sets the dynamic from day oneResources mentioned:Free conversation guide (5 scripts for your stickiest leadership conversations): liagarvin.com/convoReach out: liagarvin.com/contactDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →Where AI fits on your team today
2w ago00:18:11Tap to summarizeThe headlines said AI would be cheaper than your team. The receipts say otherwise. If you jumped in fast and are feeling the cost, or you've been holding back wondering if you're already behind, this one is your reset. Lia breaks down how to figure out where AI actually fits on your team — without an arms race, a Chief AI Officer, or a plan to replace the people who make your business run.In this episode you'll learn:- Why AI isn't the wholesale cost savings you were promised — and why that's actually good news- How to tell whether your business really needs a "Chief AI Officer" (most don't)- The tool mindset that separates teams who benefit from AI from teams who just spin their wheels- Where AI genuinely claws back hours — and where a team conversation solves it faster- Why the hard part was never the tech, and the people conversations to have first- How to start with foundations so AI augments your team instead of replacing itResources mentioned:- Grab Lia's free guide with 5 scripts to make any hard conversation easier: liagarvin.com/convo- Send Lia the AI challenge you're wrestling with (she'll cover them on the show): hello@liagarvin.com- Snippets — stay in the know of what your team is working on without having to micromanage: liagarvin.com/snippetsDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →How to make managing former peers easier
3w ago00:15:13Tap to summarizeYou got promoted. Your closest work friend is now your direct report. And what felt like it would be easy is now the most uncomfortable relationship in your professional life. This episode is for you. Lia shares her own worst management experience -- managing someone who was her best friend at work -- and the 30-minute conversation she wishes she'd had from day one.In this episode you will learn:Why managing someone you already know tends to go wrong faster than managing a strangerThe assumption that skips the most important conversation -- and how to have it even when you're already in the messThe Sit Down: a 30-minute, three-step framework for turning around even the most difficult working relationshipWhat to say first (most leaders get this backwards)How the same conversation keeps your best people before they send you a resignation emailChapters00:00 Navigating Friendships in Management05:45 Taking Responsibility in Leadership11:51 Proactive Conversations for Team RetentionResources mentioned:Free guide -- 5 Conversations We're Avoiding (with word-for-word scripts): liagarvin.com/convoDM "convo" on Instagram to receive the guideDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →How to fix it when delegating fails - 5 min feedback script
Jul 700:17:43Tap to summarizeHost Lia Garvin breaks down exactly what to do in the first five minutes after delegated work comes back wrong. Learn why taking work back stalls team growth, a practical 5‑minute feedback script to correct the task without micromanaging, and clear steps to restore accountability and prevent repeat mistakes — phrasing you can use immediately.In this episode you will learn:Why taking work back without feedback keeps your team stuck -- and you stuck in the weedsThe question to ask yourself before you give corrective feedbackWhat it sounds like to name the gap specifically without making it personalHow to turn a bad first delivery into a real learning momentWhy the goal isn't "done my way" -- and how that reframe changes everythingResources mentioned:Free guide - exact scripts for how to have 5 tricky conversations with your team: liagarvin.com/convoDM "convo" on Instagram to receive the guideDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →3 Non-negotiables to hand-off work without lowering your standards
Jun 3000:18:46Tap to summarizePart 2 of a 3-part delegation series. You handed something off, it came back wrong, and you took it back — the problem wasn’t your team. Lia breaks down the three non‑negotiables every leader must set before delegating: clear outcomes, decision boundaries, and verification rhythms. Practical handoff language, a quick checklist, and scripts to delegate effectively without lowering standards.In this episode you will learn:Why delegation fails before the handoff even starts -- and the specific step most leaders skipThe three non-negotiable categories: presentation, timing, and what success looks likeWhy establishing standards upfront is the opposite of micromanagingHow to structure check-ins that keep you in the loop without hoveringWhat "done" really means -- and how to align your definition with your team member'sHow to stop the cycle of people bringing things back halfway through instead of finishingDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →A 10-min exercise to figure out what to delegate
Jun 2300:16:43Tap to summarizeUse a simple 10-minute monthly exercise to discover exactly what to delegate. Lia Garvin shows how to audit your calendar and task list to identify repetitive, low-impact, or handoff-ready work — without handing off your whole job or dumping busywork on your team. Learn a step-by-step method to spot delegation candidates, prioritize what to offload, and create clear handoffs managers trust. Ideal for founders, people managers, and business owners wanting faster delegation outcomes.In this episode you'll learn:Why delegating is not all or nothing, and the myth that keeps you stuckThe calendar pass that surfaces meetings you can hand off, and the ones you shouldn'tHow to choose 3 to 5 monthly tasks a team member can take onHow to hand off a piece of a task instead of the whole thinWhy doing it yourself costs you more time than it savesResources mentioned:The New Manager Playbook by Lia GarvinDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →4 actions to break the micromanagement cycle
Jun 1600:15:44Tap to summarizeFollow-up to last week’s 'The Accidental Micromanager' — Lia Garvin explains four concrete actions to stop micromanaging and get your team owning the work again. Learn practical steps to exit micromanagement without chaos, plus how to rebuild clarity, set boundaries, and restore accountability. Episode length: 15m44s. Ideal for founders, people managers, and leaders who need clear delegation strategies.In this episode you will learn:Why re-setting expectations is not a failure — it's a signal — and how to use itWhat to actually say to your team before you step back from the meetings and decisions you've been holdingThe Apple DRI concept and how to define who makes what decisions on your teamHow to create a check-in structure that gives you real visibility without constant hoveringThe feedback loop that closes the cycle — and why most leaders skip itDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →3 signs you're accidentally a micromanager - and how to stop
Jun 900:18:12Tap to summarizeLia Garvin explains how capable managers slip into micromanaging and the three concrete tells to watch for: teams double-checking work, you attending every meeting, and high performers asking for more. Drawing on her experience being micromanaged at Google, Lia gives practical actions managers can use immediately to delegate, build ownership, and stop micromanagement in your team.In this episode you will learn:Why being in every meeting is a trust problem, not a time management problem, and how to step out without things falling apartHow making every decision trains your team to stop making decisions of their ownWhy turning down a high performer who asks for more work is one of the clearest signals they're about to leaveThe specific moves that start building trust so you can actually hand things offThe time math: how much you actually get back when you address all threeResources mentioned:The New Manager PlaybookDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
Transcribe →How to respond when an employee says they're thinking of leaving
Jun 200:16:21Tap to summarizeWhen a top performer tells you they may leave in 6–12 months, don’t stop investing—use advance notice as a strategic opportunity. Lia Garvin explains why notice can be a gift, what to say in the moment, and practical steps to protect team performance, plan a smooth transition, and assess retention options. Actionable phrases, timelines, and manager actions you can use immediately to reduce disruption and retain talent.In this episode you will learn:Why writing someone off the moment they give you advance notice often makes them leave sooner, not laterThe Sit-Down: what this re-engagement conversation looks like and how to have itHow to respond when you suspect the conversation is really about wanting more money or a promotionWhat team systems need to be in place so no single person's exit ever creates a crisisHow to handle a raise or promotion offer that comes with conditions without agreeing to something you'll resentResources mentioned:Snippets web app for team visibility: liagarvin.com/snippetsWork with Lia: liagarvin.com/contactDownload my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convoLooking 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 transform teams from cost centers to profit centers with practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing EASIER.Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.comContact: liagarvin.com/contactEmail: hello@liagarvin.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lia.garvinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lia.Garvin--© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple
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