Real Talk: Leading Small Teams

Lia Garvin
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

Real Talk: Leading Small Teams is a weekly leadership and management podcast for founders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and people managers who want to lead high-performing teams without falling back into the work themselves. Each week, host Lia Garvin- Fractional COO & leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, and 3x bestselling author- breaks down the real, everyday challenges of leading teams, people management, team accountability, delegation, communication, culture, and 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, there’s no beating around the bush. No corporate jargon. Just actionable leadership insights that help you build your people management and leadership skills and get better results from your team. 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 needly?• 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. Real Talk: Leading Small Teams is for:✔ 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 ✔ Corporate managers navigating continual change New episodes drop every Tuesday, delivering leadership lessons, people management tools, and team-building strategies you can apply immediately. Learn more at liagarvin.com

  1. 22 HRS AGO

    225: How to stop being the bottleneck on decisions

    You hired talented people, asked them to lead, and yet they're still coming to you for final approval on *everything*. It feels like you're micromanaging, even though you desperately want to be hands-off. You don't want to reject their need for support, but this constant stream of decisions, big and small, is keeping you buried in the day-to-day. This isn't just annoying; it's a critical bottleneck that prevents you from scaling and keeps your team from truly stepping into ownership. When you're the default decision-maker, you're doing two jobs at once, and your team isn't building the muscle they need. In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, we dive into how to break free from the decision-making weeds. In this episode, you'll learn: Why being involved in every decision creates a "death by a thousand paper cuts" and limits your ability to scale.How  constantly making the final call prevents your team from taking full accountabilityThe difference in how high-performing versus struggling teams approach decision-making, and what does it mean for youHow can you build your team's decision-making capacity instead of just offloading tasks?How articulating your own decision-making process empowers your team to make aligned choicesThis isn't just about freeing up your time; it's about unlocking your team's full potential and enabling true growth. Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    17 min

  2. 10 MAR

    224: Dealing with team members that bug us

    You know the feeling. Their name pops up on your calendar and your stomach drops just a little. They are not low performers. They are actually delivering. But something about the dynamic makes leading them harder than it needs to be. In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, we break down three common archetypes that trigger leaders and how to handle each one without avoiding hard conversations. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “Praise-Seeking Polly” may not actually feel recognized, even when you think you are praising themWhat “Mindy the Mope” might be signaling about role fit and strengths alignmentWhy “Defensive Dan” reacts to feedback and how to lower defensiveness without walking on eggshellsHow to anchor feedback in shared expectations so high performers stay coachableIf you have someone on your team who makes you want to cancel your one-on-ones but is technically doing a good job, this episode will help you shift from frustration to strategy. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    17 min

  3. 3 MAR

    223: What should I be paying people to attract top talent?

    You find the perfect senior hire. They have the résumé. The experience. The track record.  But the salary makes your stomach drop. Do you stretch and hope it pays off? Or walk away and risk staying stuck? In this episode, we unpack the real tension leaders face when hiring senior talent in a small business and how to think about compensation without blowing up your risk tolerance. We talk about: Why overextending on a big hire can create pressure that sabotages onboarding How to think beyond base salary and use ownership, scope, equity, and incentives strategicallyWhat to consider when deciding your true risk tolerance as a leader Why no hiring process can guarantee success and how to de-risk smartly insteadIf you are wrestling with whether you can afford that senior hire or afraid you cannot grow without them, this episode will help you make the decision from clarity instead of fear. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    15 min

  4. 24 FEB

    222: What investing in your team could cost you OR earn you

    What’s the cost of waiting too long to address a problem on your team? In this episode, we’re breaking down the key actions that separate leadership disasters from record-breaking success. You'll learn: How waiting too long to address team challenges can lead to massive lossesThe $250,000 mistake from one of my clients and the turnaround that followedThe positive impact of setting clear expectations and implementing systems early onHow proactive leadership resulted in a $1M revenue quarter for another clientThe importance of making feedback actionable and giving your team the support they needThis episode is full of insights on avoiding leadership pitfalls and practical steps to help your team thrive before problems spiral out of control. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    14 min

  5. 17 FEB

    221: I want to hand off work to my team, but the clients want ME, what do I do?

    You built a reputation for being the best. So why does it feel like your success is the very thing keeping you stuck? If clients keep asking for you by name and you cannot seem to step out of the weeds without everything pulling you back in, this episode will show you how to scale without losing trust, quality, or revenue. In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, you’ll learn: Why believing your “magic” cannot be taught is keeping you smallHow to translate your secret sauce into real training your team can actually useThe messaging shift that gets clients excited about working with your teamWhy holding onto control is blocking ownership and accountabilityWhat to expect in the first 6 to 12 months as you level someone up to your standardIf you are tired of constantly being pulled back into client work or secretly worried no one can do it like you can, this episode will help you build a team that truly carries the weight with you. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    17 min

  6. 10 FEB

    220: I hired managers- why am I still in the details?

    You finally hired managers… so why are you still stuck in every decision, every issue, every fire? If you feel like promoting managers was supposed to free you up and somehow did the opposite, this episode breaks down exactly why that happens and how to fix it. In this episode, we talk about: How leaders accidentally train managers to defer decisionsThe simple way to teach decision-making without more meetingsWhat to do when managers do not actually want to manageThe core skills every manager must learn to take pressure off youThis conversation is a must-listen if you want your managers to truly own their role and finally give you the breathing room you hired them for. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    15 min

  7. 10 FEB

    219: Did I make a bad hire? How do I know? What do I do?

    Hiring is exhausting, and nothing messes with your confidence faster than wondering, “Did I just make a really expensive mistake?” In this episode, we take a clear-eyed, practical look at how to assess a new hire without panic, resentment, or dragging things out way too long. Plus we’ll talk about what to do when the answer isn’t obvious. In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, you’ll learn: Why deciding someone “isn’t a fit” too fast or too late creates bigger problemsThe role onboarding and missing expectations plays in hiringThe 30–60–90 day check-in framework that removes guessworkWhy most performance issues come down to feedback that was never givenThe red flags that aren’t coachable and how to address them compassionatelyIf you’ve ever felt stuck between “I should give this more time” and “I should’ve acted months ago,” this episode will help you make the call with clarity  and confidence. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    15 min

  8. 10 FEB

    218: How to get out of the friend-zone with your team members?

    You didn’t mean to become the “cool boss.” But now feedback feels awkward, boundaries are blurry and accountability keeps slipping. In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, we break down what to do when you’ve been friend-zoned by your team,  and how to reset the dynamic without becoming cold or rigid. In this episode, we cover: The subtle signs you’ve crossed from friendly leader into the friend zoneWhy feedback resistance is often a relationship problem, not a performance oneHow to reset expectations and redefine your leadership style without blindsiding your teamThe boundaries that actually increase trust and accountability The three-step reset that gets you out of the friend zone for goodIf hard conversations keep getting delayed and leadership feels heavier than it should, this episode will help you course-correct fast. 💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets Looking 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 help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier. Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com or reach out at hello@liagarvin.com

    14 min
See All (227)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Real Talk: Leading Small Teams is a weekly leadership and management podcast for founders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and people managers who want to lead high-performing teams without falling back into the work themselves. Each week, host Lia Garvin- Fractional COO & leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, and 3x bestselling author- breaks down the real, everyday challenges of leading teams, people management, team accountability, delegation, communication, culture, and 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, there’s no beating around the bush. No corporate jargon. Just actionable leadership insights that help you build your people management and leadership skills and get better results from your team. 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 needly?• 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. Real Talk: Leading Small Teams is for:✔ 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 ✔ Corporate managers navigating continual change New episodes drop every Tuesday, delivering leadership lessons, people management tools, and team-building strategies you can apply immediately. Learn more at liagarvin.com

Information

  • Creator
    Lia Garvin
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    227
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Real Talk: Leading Small Teams
  • Show Website
    Real Talk: Leading Small Teams

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