Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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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,…
We all fall into work ruts at times. Rather than trying to power through these moments, take a proactive approach to managing your energy. Here are some simple ways to give yourself a little boost when you’re feeling down. Write your purpose on a post-it. This might be your overall career purpose (why you’ve chosen the profession that you are in) or a micro purpose (what’s motivating you to do…
A lot of my colleagues get very uncomfortable if they are called on in a meeting to speak and weren’t prepared. Here are a few quick tips so you’re never caught off guard. Prior to your next meeting, look through the agenda and write some notes about questions you have and any points you might raise. Always go into every meeting prepared. If you’re called on in the meeting, speak…
This past week I had the pleasure of taking my mother to a long-awaited trip to New York, and specifically Broadway. She’s a huge Broadway fan, originally being from New York, and we bought tickets to Hugh Jackman’s Music Man in 2019, right before COVID. We have had the tickets for 2 1/2 years, so this trip has been on the books for a long time. We decided to make…
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, and sent to me by my dear friend Tom from Boston many years ago, this is a MMC worth repeating! You will not doubt enjoy, I only wish I had seen this when I was younger, but I was probably too stubborn to listen! So, for my younger, wiser friends, colleagues and clients, do as I say not…
Like most golf fans, and even the not-so-golf fans, you can’t help but be wooed to the TV on Masters Tournament weekend. Just the beauty of Augusta pulls you in if your television is on, or computer, or phone, whatever device you are on. I stopped at the car wash Sunday morning, and three folks in the waiting area were watching it on their phone, so yes, some are addicted….
“What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” That’s truly the billion-dollar question, and it’s timeless. Brush aside the image of what success should look like, and consider what success means to you. I ask each of my high-performing clients this question, and invariably, the answer involves rising above the inevitable challenges and overcoming their own perceived limitations. When we look at those we admire most and gleam the best…