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
Email can be a black hole that swallows productivity, but a few changes to your inbox habits can help you take back your time. First, don’t let yourself check email more often than once per hour, and turn off any notifications that tempt you to. Most people don’t expect you to respond immediately, and doing so keeps you from concentrating on other tasks. Second, move emails out of your inbox…
Is your home life more chaotic than your work life? If so, you’re not alone, and some of the skills you use in your job can help. Planning and scheduling. Do you struggle to finish your personal to-do list? Block out time in your calendar for the things you need to get done (even mundane tasks like laundry and errands). You’ll feel more in control and more productive. Decision making….
We all need to keep learning new things to grow in our careers. But sometimes the urgency of our schedules gets in the way. To find time for learning, make it a part of your day-to-day tasks. One way to do this is to look for ways to pick up skills from those around you. Notice how your boss handles a negotiation; ask sales people about industry trends; get feedback…
The only thing worse than having a long to-do list is not knowing how you’re going to get everything done. Timeboxing can help: It’s a way of converting your to-do list into blocks of time on your calendar, so you have a plan for what to do and when. Start by looking at your to-do list and figuring out each task’s deadlines. For example, if a promotional video has to…
For many managers, the hardest part of delegating is trusting that a task will be done well. But it becomes easier when you think of it as a chance to train your staff — not just get rid of some work. The next time you need to delegate something, start by determining who on your team is ready to handle more responsibility. Then create simple tasks to help them learn…
We all get frustrated with colleagues from time to time. But complaining about a coworker behind their back can be destructive. It erodes trust on the team, risks hurting the person’s feelings, and makes you look bad. The next time you’re tempted to complain about someone, stop and ask yourself why. If it’s to justify your feelings or to confirm that you’re right, don’t do it. On the other hand,…
Remote work offers many benefits, but the lack of community can cause some workers to feel isolated and lonely. Harvard Business Review recommends if you manage remote employees, take these steps to combat loneliness on your team. Show recognition. Be proactive about celebrating people’s personal and professional wins. This could take the form of writing individual thank-you notes or scheduling team-wide employee-appreciation events. Fostering a culture of gratitude and appreciation…
Have you ever wondered whether it’d be helpful to work with a career coach? Hiring one requires time and money, so it’s important to do your due diligence before making the investment. Here are 5 reasons you might consider hiring one. You don’t know what you want to do next. If you’re not sure what will bring you fulfillment, a coach can help you consider possibilities that are a departure…
Have you ever wondered why we celebrate April Fools’ Day? Its exact origin actually remains a mystery, however according to “Ask History” some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian Calendar as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. In the Julian Calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1. People…
It’s tempting to think the only way to get to the top is to work all the time. But you can be an effective leader and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It all starts with your mindset. Stop thinking of yourself as someone who’s willing to do whatever the job asks, and start thinking of yourself as someone who does great work and also has a life outside of it….
We all like to consider ourselves smart, but raw intelligence isn’t everything. When we get stuck on a problem, sometimes it’s because we’re overthinking it. Pay attention to when focused thinking isn’t getting you anywhere; perhaps it has turned into obsessing over the same answers or approaches. Consider whether experimenting with a new strategy or talking ideas through with others might be more likely to result in success. Take breaks…
An open office can be a nightmare when it comes to noise — especially when you’re working on something that requires your undivided attention. To get the focus you need, talk to your team to sync up expectations about how you can all work optimally. Develop some ground rules. For example, you all might agree that when one colleague is on the phone, everyone else will only whisper. It’s also…