Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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Many leaders dismiss empathy as an optional, “touchy-feely” skill. But failing to demonstrate it can lead to low morale, poor retention, and a culture where people withhold ideas and concerns. If you want to drive better results, use these strategies to make empathy part of how you lead—consistently and clearly. Start with a shared definition. Without agreement on what empathy actually is, your team will default to assumptions. Collectively define…
Proactive work—for example, taking the initiative to improve workflows or design new resources—can energize you and create real value. But it also disrupts your routine and drains mental energy, making it harder to focus, make decisions, or stay engaged later in the day. To stay sharp while going the extra mile, take a few simple steps. Take real breaks to recover. Frequent, purposeful breaks (like walking, breathing deeply, or unplugging…
AI is no longer just a tool; it’s part of your workforce. If you want to lead effectively in this new era of “agentic AI”—AI systems that can act independently, without constant human supervision—you’ll need to treat AI agents as teammates, not just software. That starts by rethinking how you structure and source work. Map tasks and outcomes, not just roles. Break down each job into its individual tasks. Then,…
Our Founding Fathers Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They…
As we approach National IBD Day, I want to take a moment to share my personal journey with Crohn’s Disease — a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that affects millions around the world yet often remains misunderstood. Living with Crohn’s means navigating a chronic illness that doesn’t always show on the outside. It’s a condition that brings unpredictable flare-ups, fatigue, pain, and a long list of physical and emotional…
If you’re feeling exhausted every Monday morning, the problem might not be how much free time you have on the weekend, but how you use it. Instead of defaulting to passive activities, try “leisure crafting”: a more intentional approach to your free time that improves your well-being—and even boosts your work performance. Identify activities that really energize you. Leisure crafting isn’t about changing your hobbies—it’s about changing your mindset around…
Asking the wrong questions when interviewing candidates can lead to bad hiring decisions. Preparing your questions in advance is crucial for identifying someone who will enhance your team, both in skill and in compatibility. Here are four types of questions to help you learn the most about your candidate. 1. Warm-up questions. While it may be tempting to jump right into tough questions, ease in by introducing yourself and asking…
Whether you’re interacting with colleagues, clients, friends, family members, or strangers, conversations are the building blocks of relationships. To become a great conversationalist in both work and non-work settings, use the TALK framework: Topic, Asking, Levity, and Kindness. Here’s how. Start by preparing topics. Think ahead about two or three things your conversation partner might enjoy discussing. Once you’re talking, don’t linger too long on any one subject—switch topics if…
Listening isn’t just about hearing the words someone’s saying to you—it’s about proving you value their voice. Listening well builds trust, strengthens relationships, and drives better results on your team. But even strong, well-intentioned leaders fall into these five common listening traps. Here’s how to avoid them. Haste. Good listening is a demanding task that takes time. Rushing signals disinterest to your team. Set aside focused, distraction-free time for conversations…
If you struggle to delegate, you’re not alone. But holding onto every task isn’t just overwhelming—it can hold you back. Effective delegation isn’t about offloading work, but empowering your team, boosting efficiency, and freeing up your time for high-impact priorities. Here’s how to get started. Identify your roadblocks. Do you resist delegating due to control issues, perfectionism, or fear of failure? Recognize these tendencies and ask: What’s the real cost—not…
Tension and disagreement are inevitable in the workplace. But there’s a difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict. Here are four ways to encourage productive conflict on your team. Say it’s ok. Normalize disagreement. Tell your team it’s expected and essential for collaboration. Set clear norms: focus on ideas, not people, and respect different perspectives. When conflict arises, remind them it’s a sign of engagement, not dysfunction. Name positive tensions. Identify…
Tomorrow is April 1st, April Fools Day! Do you ever wonder why we celebrate April Fool’s Day, or do you just go along with the silliness of it all and laugh the day away hoping to not get fooled? Well, leaders, here is a bit of history for you. The origins of April Fools’ Day are obscure. The most commonly cited theory holds that it dates from 1582, the year…