Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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We are close to wrapping up our 42 Rules to Lead by Google’s SVP of Product Strategy, Jonathan Rosenberg. Our next Rule is Innovation. Creativity can’t be managed – Too many companies micro-manage the creative process. That doesn’t work. “Creativity can’t be allocated, it can be budgeted, it can be measured, it can be tracked and encouraged, but it can’t be dictated.” “In a Darwinian process for weeding out…
In a continuation of our 42 Rules to Lead by Jonathan Rosenberg, SVP of Google’s Product Strategy, this week is focused on Decision Making, and is short and sweet. Start with the right goals – Choose your goals wisely. Goals drive behavior and conflict. Make sure you have the goals right, and if they’re creating conflict, change them. Consensus does not mean unanimous – Teams are not juries locked in…
Continuing with our 42 Rules to Lead by Google’s Senior Vice President Jonathon Rosenberg, this week our focus is on Team Building. Interview well – You have to learn how to interview well – just like you would learn any other skill. People love to work with great people. They not only make a great company, they also attract more great people. Hire by committee – All to often, companies allow…
As we continue our 42 Rules of Leadership, by Google’s SVP of Product Strategy, Jonathan Rosenberg, we move from Communication to Culture. Ditch the pecking order – You shouldn’t be able to figure out a company’s org chart by looking at their product. A good leader cuts through the ego and picks the best opinion. Avoid the HPPO – HPPO stand for “highest paid person’s opinion”. When you have a…
A friend recently sent me a great article from Google’s SVP of Product Strategy, Jonathan Rosenberg. He breaks down his 42 Rules to Lead By. Don’t worry, I’m not listing all 42 this morning, but they are so great, that I am dedicating today, and the next 5 Monday Mornings to share with you. Mr. Rosenberg breaks them down into Communication, Culture, Team Building, Decision Making, Innovation, and Humility, and…
This topic is so important for leaders, all leaders new and old, that it’s a great lesson and a great reminder. So put on your thick skin, no one needs to be offended – we are all professionals, and read on. How did it get to be “OK” for people to be late for everything? Greg Savage, founder of Firebrand posted this no-holds-barred post about the importance of showing up on time…
Wake up, smell the coffee, and get right to work. That should be your new mantra to start the day, according to Dan Ariely, a Duke University professor of psychology and behavioral economics. This week, Ariely conducted an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit where he revealed that generally people are most productive during the first two hours after becoming fully awake. Unfortunately, most people’s morning routines and work schedules are not designed…
No, I didn’t go to Clown College, but my dear friend Bill shared with me an article he read on the above. I wondered why he was sharing it with me, and like most lessons learned, it applies to life. Of course it turned into a MMC to share with each of you! We stand on the shoulders of giants. During its more than 130-year existence, Ringling Bros. named only…
Is having fun at work important? Short answer: Yes! Research suggests that fun has a positive impact on employee engagement, creativity, and retention. So, how can you make it part of your workday? Gamify your to-do list. As soon as you finish a task, reward yourself with something small — take a walk, call a friend, or buy yourself a treat. Switch things up. Making simple changes can give you…
After my Monday Morning Coffee a few weeks ago about conference/video call etiquette, I got a number of emails from folks wanting to share with me tips on email etiquette, or ask me to share tips on email etiquette. Thank you. I really appreciate the feedback and encourage you to always reach out to me for ideas and information on what you’d like to see and share. I always…
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,…