The Leadership Plunge: Navigating the Waters of First-Time Management

The Leadership Plunge is your compass for one of the most critical and overlooked transitions in business: the leap from individual contributor to first-time manager. Hosted by Marelys L. Garcia and Bhavna Karani, this podcast dives deep into the challenges, frameworks, and mindset shifts that transform technical stars into effective leaders.

Each episode features conversations with CHROs, CEOs, founders, leadership coaches, and people development experts who know firsthand what it takes to build high-performing teams and resilient cultures. Together, they uncover the real stakes of leadership transitions from innovation breakthroughs when they succeed to talent exodus and organizational drag when they don’t.

🌊 Why Listen to The Leadership Plunge?

Because becoming a leader isn’t just a promotion, it’s a plunge into uncharted waters. With guidance from Marelys and Bhavna, you’ll hear stories and strategies that make the difference between sinking and swimming in management. Expect actionable insights, candid lessons, and the human side of leadership that textbooks often miss.

On The Leadership Plunge, you’ll learn how to:

• Build emotional intelligence as the foundation of modern leadership
• Avoid the costly pitfalls of untrained managers
• Foster high-performance teams and strong company cultures
• Navigate the complexities of talent retention and growth
• Lead with empathy across diverse and multicultural environments
• Turn failures and challenges into growth stories and comebacks

🎙️ What to Expect From Each Episode

Every conversation pulls back the curtain on what real leadership looks like in today’s organizations:

• Leadership Readiness: Coaching and frameworks to prepare first-time managers.
• High-Impact Teams: How leaders cultivate trust, accountability, and culture.
• Career Journeys: From personal setbacks to boardroom breakthroughs.
• Leadership Across Borders: Global perspectives on empathy and adaptability.
• Human-Centered Leadership: The blend of purpose, resilience, and people-first strategies.

Whether you’re a first-time manager, HR leader, or executive building the next wave of leadership, The Leadership Plunge offers the insights and stories to help you take the leap and make it count.