Whether an individual, team, or organization,
increase your value by developing the voice of a leader.

Liz Trocchio Smith

Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor

Monday Morning Coffee

Get “Monday Morning Coffee with Liz”
direct to your in-box every Monday Morning with tips on what it takes to be a great leader

Monday Morning Coffee

If Dog’s Were The Teachers.

Thanks to my good friend Kathy for sharing this with me.  I now share it with you. Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: When your loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy. Take naps. Stretch before…

Humility

As we wrap up the 42 Rules To Lead by Jonathan Rosenberg, SVP of Products for Google,  the last lesson on Rules focuses on Humility. Never Stop Learning – School is never out.  Your education is never over.  Part of being humble is realizing how much you don’t know.  “Learn something new so you can remember how hard it is to learn.  Corollary: teach something so you can learn.” Grow…

Innovation

We are close to wrapping up our 42 Rules to Lead by Google’s SVP of Product Strategy, Jonathan Rosenberg.  Our next Rule is Innovation.   Creativity can’t be managed – Too many companies micro-manage the creative process.  That doesn’t work.  “Creativity can’t be allocated, it can be budgeted, it can be measured, it can be tracked and encouraged, but it can’t be dictated.”  “In a Darwinian process for weeding out…

Decision Making

In a continuation of our 42 Rules to Lead by Jonathan Rosenberg, SVP of Google’s Product Strategy, this week is focused on Decision Making, and is short and sweet. Start with the right goals – Choose your goals wisely. Goals drive behavior and conflict. Make sure you have the goals right, and if they’re creating conflict, change them. Consensus does not mean unanimous – Teams are not juries locked in…

Team Building

Continuing with our 42 Rules to Lead by Google’s Senior Vice President Jonathon Rosenberg, this week our focus is on Team Building. Interview well – You have to learn how to interview well – just like you would learn any other skill.  People love to work with great people.  They not only make a great company, they also attract more great people. Hire by committee – All to often, companies allow…

Culture

As we continue our 42 Rules of Leadership, by Google’s SVP of Product Strategy, Jonathan Rosenberg, we move from Communication to Culture. Ditch the pecking order – You shouldn’t be able to figure out a company’s org chart by looking at their product.  A good leader cuts through the ego and picks the best opinion. Avoid the HPPO – HPPO stand for “highest paid person’s opinion”.  When you have a…

42 Rules to Lead By

A friend recently sent me a great article from Google’s SVP of Product Strategy, Jonathan Rosenberg. He breaks down his 42 Rules to Lead By.  Don’t worry, I’m not listing all 42 this morning, but they are so great, that I am dedicating today, and the next 5 Monday Mornings to share with you. Mr. Rosenberg breaks them down into Communication, Culture, Team Building, Decision Making, Innovation, and Humility, and…

It’s OK To Be Late……Not!

This topic is so important for leaders, all leaders new and old, that it’s a great lesson and a great reminder.   So put on your thick skin, no one needs to be offended – we are all professionals, and read on. How did it get to be “OK” for people to be late for everything? Greg Savage, founder of Firebrand posted this no-holds-barred post about the importance of showing up on time…

Your Most Productive Hours

Wake up, smell the coffee, and get right to work. That should be your new mantra to start the day, according to Dan Ariely, a Duke University professor of psychology and behavioral economics. This week, Ariely conducted an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit where he revealed that generally people are most productive during the first two hours after becoming fully awake. Unfortunately, most people’s morning routines and work schedules are not designed…

10 Lessons Learned at Clown College

No, I didn’t go to Clown College, but my dear friend Bill shared with me an article he read on the above.  I wondered why he was sharing it with me, and like most lessons learned, it applies to life.  Of course it turned into a MMC to share with each of you! We stand on the shoulders of giants. During its more than 130-year existence, Ringling Bros. named only…

Make Work More Fun!

Is having fun at work important? Short answer: Yes! Research suggests that fun has a positive impact on employee engagement, creativity, and retention. So, how can you make it part of your workday? Gamify your to-do list. As soon as you finish a task, reward yourself with something small — take a walk, call a friend, or buy yourself a treat. Switch things up. Making simple changes can give you…