Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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Fall reminds us that letting go can make room for growth. As leaders, we sometimes hold on to things longer than we should—a routine that no longer works, a responsibility someone else is ready to own, or the belief that we need to have every answer. This week, over your morning coffee, ask yourself: What could I let go of to help someone else grow? Delegate a decision, rethink an…
Columbus Day has me thinking about the courage it takes to head into unfamiliar territory. Most of us won’t be setting sail across an ocean, but we all face moments when the next step feels uncertain—accepting a new role, starting a business, or finally having that conversation we’ve been putting off. It’s easy to wait until we feel ready, but confidence often comes after we take the first step. This…
Last weekend, we celebrated my mom Carole’s 90th birthday. Family and friends came from across the country to be with her. There were hugs, stories, laughter, and plenty of photos. But what stayed with me most was the sight of everyone in one place, gathered around a woman we love. At 90, Mom has given us a lifetime of memories. This weekend, we got to make many more together. It…
I recently came across this piece in the Harvard Business Review and thought it was too good not to share. When stress spikes, your instinct may be to get rid of it as quickly as possible. But stress itself isn’t always the problem. When channeled correctly, it can sharpen your thinking, help you perform at your best, and reveal what matters to you. The challenge is learning how to interpret…
Today is National Boss/Employee Exchange Day—a reminder that leadership can look very different depending on which side of the desk you are sitting on. As leaders, we may see deadlines, budgets, client expectations and the pressure to deliver results. Our employees may see unclear priorities, competing demands or decisions being made without understanding how those decisions affect their daily work. Neither perspective is necessarily wrong—but neither one tells the whole…
We’ve been taught to admire hard work. Long hours. Full calendars. Being the first one in and the last one out. And there’s certainly something to be said for commitment and a strong work ethic. But somewhere along the way, many of us started wearing busy like a badge of honor. With Labor Day here, maybe the better question isn’t, “Am I working hard enough?” Maybe it’s, “Am I spending…
Like so many of you, I was saddened this week to hear about the passing of Dolly Parton. We knew the songs, the rhinestones, the big hair and that unmistakable laugh. But behind all of that was a woman who built an extraordinary career and an incredible business—while somehow never losing sight of who she was or where she came from. There’s a leadership lesson in that. Dolly showed us…
At some point in our careers, most of us have felt the need to prove ourselves. Prove that we belong in the room. Prove that we can handle the bigger job. Prove that we’re smart enough, experienced enough, tough enough—or that we can somehow do it all. And for a while, that drive can serve us well. It pushes us to work harder, take risks, and earn opportunities. But there…
Sometimes the things that weigh us down aren’t on our calendars or our to-do lists. They’re the conversations we keep replaying, the mistake we haven’t forgiven ourselves for, the responsibility that really belongs to someone else, or the need to make sure everything gets done our way. We carry worry about things we can’t control, expectations that no longer serve us, and sometimes even a little resentment we’ve held onto…
There’s something about back-to-school season that feels like a reset. New schedules. New routines. New goals. And, of course, that unmistakable feeling that summer went by much too quickly! But maybe there’s a lesson in this season for all of us. Kids head back to school knowing they won’t have all the answers on day one. They’re expected to learn, ask questions, make mistakes, try again and keep growing. Somewhere…
It’s amazing how often we think leadership is about having the right answers. But the leaders people remember aren’t always the smartest person in the room—they’re the ones who ask the questions that unlock ideas, build trust, and help others think differently. This week, before you jump in with your solution, try asking one more question. What am I missing? How can I help? What’s your biggest challenge right now?…
Every team is waiting for someone to go first. The first person to ask the difficult question. The first to admit they made a mistake. The first to offer encouragement. The first to volunteer for the challenge. Leadership isn’t about waiting until everyone else is comfortable—it’s about creating the environment where others feel safe enough to follow. Courage is contagious. When one person steps forward, it gives everyone else permission…