Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway Listening is the foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders listen to what their customers and prospects want and need, and they listen to the challenges those customers face. They listen to colleagues and are open to new ideas. They listen to their employees – everyone from the receptionist to the shareholders and investors. Leaders listen to what…
There are 168 hours in a week; this is immutable truth. That sounds like a lot, but is it really enough time to cover the demands of a successful career, family involvement, and everything else that makes up a fulfilling life? Let’s do the back-of-the-envelope calculation. Starting with those 168 hours, first take away 49 just for sleep. Don’t try to cheat on this. If you are getting less than…
First, for all you men who just rolled your eyes and decided this Monday Morning Coffee doesn’t apply to you, read on. I know you have women in your life – a wife, girlfriend, mom, sister, co-worker or friend who is a woman, so don’t turn away, you might just learn something. Girlfriends are different. A lot of women have “friends”, but the really lucky ones have “girlfriends”….
Like me, I’m sure everyone seems to be out driving in their cars a lot. To and from work, kids back at school, dropping kids off at the many activities they have, running errands, etc. Has anyone but me noticed that people DON’T use their blinkers? I wonder sometimes if cars are just not make with them anymore, I mean seriously. I did a little test when I was out…
Maybe it’s your performance review. Or advice (solicited or otherwise) from a colleague. Whatever the feedback was, it was wrong — that person doesn’t understand the situation! They don’t really know what you do. And besides, their advice wouldn’t even work. Getting feedback you disagree with can be maddening, and while you might be tempted to launch into a well-reasoned rebuttal, it’s better not to react right away. Give yourself…
After a meeting ends, it can be challenging to keep your team motivated and focused on doing the agreed-upon tasks. Of course, you need to end the meeting with clear agreement on specific actions and completion dates for each item, but that’s not enough. Ask people to speak up if they realize they won’t be able to deliver on an action item. Assign someone to track and follow up on…
When you need advice, how many people should you ask? It’s tempting to get a lot of opinions — say, from friends, coworkers, and mentors — but doing so can backfire. You won’t be able to follow everyone’s advice, of course, and research shows that those whose advice you don’t take may have a worse view of you afterward. They may even see you as less competent or avoid you….
If you’re in a leadership position, you need to know how to take criticism well. Being resilient will help you stay focused on what the company needs, rather than on the naysayers. One strategy is to brainstorm several ways to respond to criticism and write them down for reference. It can be hard to know what to say in the moment, so general responses will ensure you have something ready….
Time. We never seem to have enough of it and we always seem to be racing it. I was hurrying to get out of the house last week and looked at the clock in my bedroom. Than looked at the clock in my kitchen as I was grabbing a cup of coffee and then again on the microwave as I was grabbing something to eat on my way out. I…
Planning for a vacation can be exhausting, which is why shorter “minibreaks” are so useful. For example, taking a short trip, two to three days long, to somewhere local can help you relax without requiring a lot of planning or logistics. (A minibreak is also useful if a longer trip just isn’t practical for you right now.) To make the time as refreshing as possible, leave town early on Friday…
As a manager, you probably have to talk a lot. You want people to have the guidance and direction they need, of course, and there are plenty of situations where you need to speak your mind. But at some point, talking a lot can turn into over communicating. You can end up dominating conversations, which means employees’ perspectives aren’t being heard. To make sure you aren’t talking too much, listen…
Every wonder when you would get everyone’s undivided attention? The best time to hold meetings and give presentations are on Tuesdays, around 10:30. Experts say in the midmorning, early birds are still going strong, while night owls are getting into the stride of their day, meaning everyone in the audience should be energized and receptive. Furthermore, Tuesday is the most effective day to show off meeting and presentation skills…