Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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Executive coaching can be a big boost to both your performance and job satisfaction. But before you start working with a coach, you need to ask yourself whether you’re ready to do the work. To truly reap the benefits of coaching you must be able to tolerate discomfort and be open to experimentation. You’ll need to proactively embrace new ways of behaving, even if these approaches don’t come naturally to…
It can feel like 24 hours isn’t enough time in the day, and all the productivity hacks in the world won’t change that. Here are four proven strategies to help you make the most of your limited time. First, batch your meetings. It’s hard to get into flow when you know you’re going to be interrupted every hour. By knocking out all your meetings at once, you’ll clear out some…
The Dallas Morning News published a great article on Sunday that I can’t resist sharing. Below is 21 ways you can shake off 2020 and start fresh. Commit to it. What can it hurt? Invest in some “you” moments when you wake up. Move. Do some jumping jacks. Make your bed. Channel positivity. Stop and smell the roses. Say hello to a stranger. Eat an apple a day. Donate blood….
Why is breaking a habit so difficult? It’s because habits are made up of three components: a trigger (for example, feeling stressed), a behavior (browsing the Internet), and a reward (feeling sated). Each time you reinforce the reward, you become more likely to repeat the behavior. The key to breaking this cycle is to become more aware of the “reward” reinforcing your behavior. First, figure out your triggers. If the…
It can be hard to focus with all that beeping and buzzing from your phone. Fortunately, there are simple ways to reduce distractions. Start by turning off push notifications. If that doesn’t help, use airplane mode to limit interruptions when you’re trying to focus. If the idea of being out of touch gives you anxiety, you can always make exceptions for specific numbers, such as those of loved ones or…
If you’re managing higher levels of stress these days, there’s a tool we all have immediate access to: breathing. It might sound simple, but when done properly, breathing can make the difference between panic and resilience. Research shows that different emotions are associated with different forms of breathing. For example, when you feel anxious or angry, your breathing becomes irregular, short, and fast. When you feel joy or relaxation, your…
If your team is working remotely, which most of us still are, it’s important to offer encouragement and emotional support. Acknowledge the pressure everyone is under, listen to their anxieties and concerns, and empathize with their struggles. If a remote employee is clearly having a hard time, but not communicating stress or anxiety, ask them how they’re doing. Even a general question such as “How is this remote work situation…
It’s often in small moments that we make and find meaning. So if you want to live your life with a little more purpose, one thing to do is to pay close attention to how you engage with others. Show your colleagues that you believe in them. Take time to understand their aspirations, and do what you can to uplift them. Make purpose a regular part of your conversations: Talk…
People cry at work. Maybe it’s because of tough feedback or a particularly stressful day, or maybe it has nothing at all to do with work. Regardless of the reason, as a manager, you shouldn’t ignore or diminish the tears, even if they make you feel uncomfortable. Don’t try to interpret your employee’s emotions, tell them what to do, or judge them. Instead, show gentle curiosity and compassion. Try saying…
When you’re managing a remote team in a crisis, it’s understandable if you’re largely focused on tasks and goals. But it’s just as critical for managers to focus on sustaining a healthy team culture. Right now, team members need to feel connected — not only to the company’s mission, but also to each other. To foster the right culture, regularly set aside time for team members to highlight and share…