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
Maybe it’s your performance review. Or advice (solicited or otherwise) from a colleague. Whatever the feedback was, it was wrong — that person doesn’t understand the situation! They don’t really know what you do. And besides, their advice wouldn’t even work. Getting feedback you disagree with can be maddening, and while you might be tempted to launch into a well-reasoned rebuttal, it’s better not to react right away. Give yourself…
After a meeting ends, it can be challenging to keep your team motivated and focused on doing the agreed-upon tasks. Of course, you need to end the meeting with clear agreement on specific actions and completion dates for each item, but that’s not enough. Ask people to speak up if they realize they won’t be able to deliver on an action item. Assign someone to track and follow up on…
When you need advice, how many people should you ask? It’s tempting to get a lot of opinions — say, from friends, coworkers, and mentors — but doing so can backfire. You won’t be able to follow everyone’s advice, of course, and research shows that those whose advice you don’t take may have a worse view of you afterward. They may even see you as less competent or avoid you….
If you’re in a leadership position, you need to know how to take criticism well. Being resilient will help you stay focused on what the company needs, rather than on the naysayers. One strategy is to brainstorm several ways to respond to criticism and write them down for reference. It can be hard to know what to say in the moment, so general responses will ensure you have something ready….
Time. We never seem to have enough of it and we always seem to be racing it. I was hurrying to get out of the house last week and looked at the clock in my bedroom. Than looked at the clock in my kitchen as I was grabbing a cup of coffee and then again on the microwave as I was grabbing something to eat on my way out. I…
Planning for a vacation can be exhausting, which is why shorter “minibreaks” are so useful. For example, taking a short trip, two to three days long, to somewhere local can help you relax without requiring a lot of planning or logistics. (A minibreak is also useful if a longer trip just isn’t practical for you right now.) To make the time as refreshing as possible, leave town early on Friday…
As a manager, you probably have to talk a lot. You want people to have the guidance and direction they need, of course, and there are plenty of situations where you need to speak your mind. But at some point, talking a lot can turn into over communicating. You can end up dominating conversations, which means employees’ perspectives aren’t being heard. To make sure you aren’t talking too much, listen…
Every wonder when you would get everyone’s undivided attention? The best time to hold meetings and give presentations are on Tuesdays, around 10:30. Experts say in the midmorning, early birds are still going strong, while night owls are getting into the stride of their day, meaning everyone in the audience should be energized and receptive. Furthermore, Tuesday is the most effective day to show off meeting and presentation skills…
There are benefits to optimism. Some studies have found that feeling optimistic can help fight stress and improve health; others have found that optimists earn and save more money. To build your optimism, try a few things. For one, practice gratitude. When you wake up each morning, think of three things you’re thankful for. It only takes a minute, and it puts a positive spin on the day. (Also, resist…
Well, I know it’s Tuesday that you are receiving your Monday Morning Coffee with Liz, but if you live in or near the Dallas area, you know we had a monstrous storm come through on Sunday. No electricity, which means no internet, so I’m sitting in a Cafe’ writing this. My husband and I were out at the time it hit and what we saw trying to get home was…
This past week, we said goodbye to our two sweet labs, Lily (17) and Abby (14). They were mother and daughter, and in life they were inseparable and went together in death. The love of a dog is so much more than an owner/pet relationship, and I know if you are not a dog person, you won’t understand. But what I share is real. “Our girls”, as I always lovingly…
Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Mother’s Day? I mean, beside the obvious, I’m always interested in the “why” of things. Well here is what I found out. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. … Her persistence paid off in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day….