Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
Get “Monday Morning Coffee with Liz”
direct to your in-box every Monday Morning with tips on what it takes to be a great leader
The influence of those around us is so powerful. Many times we don’t even realize we’re being strongly affected because influences generally develop over an extended period of time. Peer pressure is an especially powerful force because it is so subtle. If you’re around people who spend all they make, chances are excellent that you’ll spend all you make. If you are around people who don’t read, chances are excellent…
Today we celebrate Columbus Day. The first recorded ceremony commemorating Columbus in America occurred in 1792, 300 years after his famous first voyage in 1492. To honor Columbus, a ceremony was held in New York, and a monument was dedicated to him in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1892, a statue of Columbus was raised at Columbus Avenue in New York City. Further, at the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago…
This past week my mom had a birthday. I won’t tell you her age, but it was a significant number. She works out 5 days a week and has quite a large group of friends that work out with her. We had a birthday party, which consisted of High Afternoon Tea, for her and 20 of her friends at a little Tea Cafe in Dallas. As I watched the group…
If you are looking for a good read, pick up Jon Gordon’s book, The Carpenter. It is truly a must-read. The Carpenter is an engaging parable of a high-powered entrepreneur who recaptures his sense of purpose through working with (and learning from) a blue-collar artisan. The highlight of the book is the following promise: I vow to stay positive in the face of negativity; When I am surrounded by pessimism, I will choose…
Thanks to my good friend Kathy for sharing this with me. I now share it with you. Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: When your loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy. Take naps. Stretch before…
As we wrap up the 42 Rules To Lead by Jonathan Rosenberg, SVP of Products for Google, the last lesson on Rules focuses on Humility. Never Stop Learning – School is never out. Your education is never over. Part of being humble is realizing how much you don’t know. “Learn something new so you can remember how hard it is to learn. Corollary: teach something so you can learn.” Grow…
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…