Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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Monday, April 25, 2016 Good morning, Recently, I was privileged to hear Dr. Sandra Chapman, founder of The Brain Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas, speak to a group of professionals. I was so impressed with what she had to say and her research, that I immediately went out and picked up her book, Make Your Brain Smarter. Her study on the brain is so fascinating that I wanted…
Monday, April 18, 2016 Good morning, We’ve explored the things the most respected bosses do, and the inevitable habits that unhappy employees fall into. It’s only fair therefore that we talk about the habits of the world’s most respected employees. Start by thinking about the colleagues you’ve most enjoyed working with–the most successful and likable people. I’m confident I can describe these people, because the most respected employees often have…
Monday, April 4, 2016 Good morning, Almost nobody likes dealing with office politics, and it’s the people who do enjoy it that you have to worry about. And just like regular politics, office politics is an unavoidable element of human behavior—bring people together and the jockeying begins. A lot of the advice about how to handle office politics boils down to “just don’t play,” as if avoiding the political system…
Monday, March 28, 2016 Good morning, “To do our work, we all have to read a mass of paper. Nearly all of them are too long. This wastes time, while energy has to be spent in looking for the essential points.” Sound familiar? It could be a complaint made by anyone who has to read memos to make decisions. But that complaint wasn’t made by a company executive yesterday. It…
Monday, March 21, 2016 Good morning, You’ve got minutes until March Madness starts again this morning…do you know what your employees are doing? I can tell you–they’re setting up their live streams, poring over their brackets, and sweating out the minutes until their alma mater takes the court. What your employees probably are NOT doing however, is putting their full, absolute concentration toward their work. And you know what…that is…
Monday, March 7, 2016 Good morning, If you live in Texas, you know we have been experiencing unseasonable spring like winter. It has been in the high 70’s and low 80’s over the last few weeks. I ventured out to run some errands over the last weekend in my bright red convertible Volkswagen Bug, and yes, with the top down! Weather like we have had just immediately puts people in a good…
Monday, February 29, 2016 Good morning, Starbucks continues to grow relentlessly, with CEO Howard Schultz just announcing plans to open 500 new stores a year over the next five years. Much of this growth will happen in China, where Schulz is undeterred by the recent economic slowdown. While many factors contribute to Starbucks’ immunity to economic trends, most are driven by Schultz. Starbucks’ massive size hasn’t stopped him from realizing…
Monday, February 22, 2016 Good morning, A good friend and colleague of mine, Paul, recently posted his thoughts on leadership qualities in an industry newsletter. He was so right-on with his assessment that I called him and asked him if I could share his thoughts with my readers. Thank you Paul! “In my opinion and in no particular order, these are the essential qualities a person must develop and possess to exhibit…
Monday, February 1, 2016 Good morning, Whether you’re a Fortune company or an emerging business, whether you’re focused on innovation or are desperately grasping for ways to remain relevant, here are some of the non-negotiables that could allow you to redefine an industry rather than follow one. Remember that ideas should have no boundaries, but they do need constraints. Free people from limiting their ideas by saying things like “We could never do…
Monday Morning, January 25, 2016 Good morning, What if changing only one thing could make you more successful? Would you change it? Of course you would. It’s a simple change to do. All you have to do is apply some simple geometry by applying the “try-angle” to your life. The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of, and their response to, failure. This impacts every aspect of their lives. Failure is not…
Monday, December 21, 2015 Good morning, Millennials are beginning to dominate the workforce as their Gen X parents and baby boomer grandparents retire. As always, with the rise of a new generation comes heaps of criticism from those on their way out. The latest influx of fresh-faced college graduates, armed with smartphones and an appetite for innovation, brings with it plenty of targets for that criticism. But within those criticisms lie…
Monday, December 14, 2015 Good morning, With playoffs right around the corner, I came across this article in Inc. and thought it worthy of sharing. Saying you want to be the Tom Brady of your industry or business is like saying you want to be Steve Jobs. Guess what…ain’t gonna happen. The elite of the elite don’t have the same struggles as the “common” business person. When you look at the NFL…