Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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With a large number of us working from home, conference and video calls are the norm. Some of my biggest pet peeves are that people seem to throw all rules out the window when they sit on conference and video calls. These calls should be treated no different that in-person meetings and the person leading the call should receive the same respect as the leader of any meeting. AND, if…
It’s the new normal. Virtual meetings. Don’t fear it, but learn it, practice it and you will become comfortable with it. Virtual meetings can be run more effectively, using basic meeting best practices and easy-to-use, inexpensive technology. Here are a few tips. 1. Use video. To make people feel like they’re all at the “same” meeting, use video conferencing rather than traditional conference dial-ins. Technology — such as Zoom, Skype,…
We all fall into work ruts at times. Rather than trying to power through these moments, take a proactive approach to managing your energy. Here are some simple ways to give yourself a little boost when you’re feeling down. Write your purpose on a post-it. This might be your overall career purpose (why you’ve chosen the profession that you are in) or a micro purpose (what’s motivating you to do…
A lot of my colleagues get very uncomfortable if they are called on in a meeting to speak and weren’t prepared. Here are a few quick tips so you’re never caught off guard. Prior to your next meeting, look through the agenda and write some notes about questions you have and any points you might raise. Always go into every meeting prepared. If you’re called on in the meeting, speak…
This past week I had the pleasure of taking my mother to a long-awaited trip to New York, and specifically Broadway. She’s a huge Broadway fan, originally being from New York, and we bought tickets to Hugh Jackman’s Music Man in 2019, right before COVID. We have had the tickets for 2 1/2 years, so this trip has been on the books for a long time. We decided to make…
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, and sent to me by my dear friend Tom from Boston many years ago, this is a MMC worth repeating! You will not doubt enjoy, I only wish I had seen this when I was younger, but I was probably too stubborn to listen! So, for my younger, wiser friends, colleagues and clients, do as I say not…
Like most golf fans, and even the not-so-golf fans, you can’t help but be wooed to the TV on Masters Tournament weekend. Just the beauty of Augusta pulls you in if your television is on, or computer, or phone, whatever device you are on. I stopped at the car wash Sunday morning, and three folks in the waiting area were watching it on their phone, so yes, some are addicted….
“What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” That’s truly the billion-dollar question, and it’s timeless. Brush aside the image of what success should look like, and consider what success means to you. I ask each of my high-performing clients this question, and invariably, the answer involves rising above the inevitable challenges and overcoming their own perceived limitations. When we look at those we admire most and gleam the best…
“The force of character is cumulative” – Ralph Waldo Emerson When you are recruiting for your company, you want to seek out those with a fire-in-the-belly enthusiasm for your organization. The last thing you want is people in your organization who had to be talked into being there, who needed convincing that your team was worthy of them. When hiring, be diligent in discerning what the individual’s motives are;…
I’m sure most of you have read Robert Fulghum’s book All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. If you have or have not read his book, I always think it is a great reminder to read his Credo from time to time. This morning, I share it with you. Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your…
Recent events have stirred a surge of vocal pride with, for, and among women. And yet, I am still hearing many say that women don’t support other women in business. It’s time to apply this renewed passion for supporting each other in the workforce. I hear too frequently when I present on candor — there is a lack of open, honest communication among women in business. Women are struggling to…
Yes, you read the topic line correctly. My friend Kathy came across this wonderful article in The New York Times and knew I would want to share it in my Monday Morning Coffee. And she was right! Meet Clark. A 5 year who was a little anxious about returning to kindergarten after two years of pandemic isolation. Sometimes he cries. But when his mother recently told him she was feeling…