Dealing with difficult team members, managing up, and when to coach vs direct

It's our first Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode, where I rapid-fire answer questions submitted by our listeners.

Today's questions: 
How do I deal with difficult team members?
How do I manage up?
How do I when when it's right to coach vs direct?

Related episodes mentioned in this show:
Coaching as a manager superpower and how to use it
BONUS: How to overcome unlucky situations as a manager
How setting expectations can unlock more momentum on your team

To submit your questions for future AMA episodes, email me at hello@liagarvin.com

And if you're feeling stuck but don't know where to start, fill out my quiz at liagarvin.com/managerquiz and I'll send you a video with personalized recommendations for your team.

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Looking for support for your team? Reach out to hello@liagarvin.com to learn more about one of my four core focuses for teams:
Manager Development - Micro to Macro Manager Development Program
Employee Engagement - Focus Groups & Action Planning Workshops
Retaining Women - Accelerate Group Coaching Program for Women
For Entrepreneurs & Founders - Billion Dollar Ops Playbook for Million Dollar Businesses

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Download my FREE guide to making hard conversations with your team easier at liagarvin.com/convo

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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.

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Email: hello@liagarvin.com

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© 2026 Lia Garvin / Managing Made Simple