Monday Morning Coffee

If you’re worried that your employees are eyeing the door, it’s time to start having some important, career-defining conversations. Here are five key questions to ask your direct reports at your next one-on-one to ensure that they feel seen and valued — before it’s too late. How would you like to grow within this organization?Identify the career development opportunities they need — whether that’s coaching, mentoring, increased visibility, or more…

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While enjoying your day off, here are some fun facts about President’s Day you might not know. President’s Day is celebrated on the third Monday in February. George Washington’s actual birthday is February 22, 1732. President Gerald Ford was the first to be president and vice president without ever being elected. Franklin D. Roosevelt took the first presidential flight, according to Air and Space. There are three presidents from Tennessee:…

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Let’s face it: We all lack motivation at times. To keep yourself on task — and focused on your goals — it can help to build in ways to hold yourself accountable. That way, you’re not depending on willpower alone. Here are some tactics that can help. First, enlist an accountability buddy. Tell them what your goal is, being specific about what you hope to accomplish, then ask them to…

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No one has time for a bad meeting. So be sure you’re not wasting people’s time, including your own, by making each meeting purposeful, inclusive (of the people who actually need to be there), and participatory. Start by inviting people to contribute to the agenda beforehand. This will increase everyone’s buy-in. Then, explain why the meeting matters before you dive into the agenda. For example, you might say, “I’d like…

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Learning to make good decisions, without hesitation and procrastination, is a skill that can set you apart from your peers. How can you stop vacillating on tricky choices, especially under pressure? Here are the steps to take when faced with making a tough call. Start by considering many different viewpoints. This doesn’t mean you should seek out everyone’s opinion. Instead, identify the right people with the relevant expertise and give…

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When a goal seems particularly onerous, or the path toward achieving it feels unclear, it’s easy to just do nothing and push it off to another day. This is a mistake. Here are three strategies to start tackling that goal you’ve been putting off: Hire a coach or look for a mentor. Having someone to support and encourage you can make a big difference. They can be particularly helpful in…

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Intuition is frequently dismissed as mystical or unreliable. In reality, it’s one of the most powerful decision-making tools at your disposal. Here are a few ways to learn to go with your gut: Distinguish your gut feeling from fear. Ask yourself: Am I tempted to make this decision to avoid a threat, rejection, or punishment? Or do I feel excited, at ease, and content with the choice at hand? Practice….

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Forming a new habit in the best of times can be difficult, let alone trying to make changes when you’re already spent. But just because you’re exhausted, doesn’t mean you can’t build new, healthier habits. The key is to start small. First and foremost, make sleep a priority: go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Most of us go to bed too late to get…

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Happy New Year from all of us at The Trocchio Advantage!  

  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at The Trocchio Advantage!  

We all want to get better at something. Maybe you’d like to be a more inspiring leader, be more productive, or take more risks. But ask yourself two questions. First, do you really want to do better? Presumably the answer is “yes,” but if you’re looking to improve because, say, your boss wants you to, be honest about that. Change will happen only if you’re committed to it. Second, are…

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We all have parts of our jobs that aren’t fun. But even an unpleasant task can have meaning if you search for it. Try this exercise. Think about an activity that you don’t always enjoy doing — delivering performance reviews, for example. Now ask yourself why you do it, but ask four times. The first time you ask “Why do I do this?” you might answer, “Because I have to”…

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