Liz Trocchio Smith
Certified Executive Business Coach
and Trusted Advisor
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Every manager has a few behaviors they’re particularly sensitive to or things they’re especially touchy about. Maybe you loathe being interrupted, especially by a certain self-important colleague. Or maybe you get riled up when someone keeps asking you the same question over and over again. To help yourself remain calm in these situations, acknowledge your emotions and think through why you’re reacting the way you are. For example, you might…
Some people thrive in the face of setbacks, while others seem unable to recover. For example, how would you respond to being laid off or not getting a promotion? Would regaining your confidence be fairly easy, or very difficult? Cultivating three traits can help you become the type of person who rebounds from these types of setbacks: Seeing reality clearly. Resilient people have down-to-earth views on the situations they face….
Most of us don’t like to be told “no” when we ask for more resources. We consider it a rejection; we believe that the more resources we have, the better results we’ll achieve. But your boss’s no might be an opportunity to prove that you can find creative solutions to deliver quality work with less. In fact, the more experience you have with scarcity — the more times your boss…
Does this sound familiar? You know you have a bad habit (maybe it’s interrupting others, or micromanaging), so you set out to change your ways. At first, you’re full of energy and enthusiasm, but as time goes on you slip back into your old behavior. If you really want to break your habit, try creating a “Yes List” to track and review your progress. Translate your goals into small, measurable…
When a colleague makes an inappropriate comment, it can be risky to speak up — and risky not to. Not addressing a sexist or racist comment may give the person permission to do it again. If you decide to say something, be careful not to level accusations. Research shows that harsh statements such as “That’s racist” can backfire, making the person less likely to change their behavior. Instead, you might…
When you need to get something done in a hurry, it can seem daunting to find the time. Where will you possibly find those extra hours? One way to give yourself additional time is to go on a news diet. Don’t just tune out the news — cut yourself off completely. Turn off any news feeds on your computer. Block news websites and stop notifications on your laptop and phone….
Perfectionists don’t like to reveal their weaknesses, which makes them especially difficult to coach. What’s a mentor to do? Try to focus your coaching on affirmation, validation, encouragement, and support. Express value for the person, not their performance. And when the person falls short or believes they’ve failed, help them cultivate a sense of curiosity, inquiry, and risk taking about what went wrong, and offer approaches for moving forward. Give…
Some days feel like such a scramble to keep up that it’s nearly impossible to focus on strategic projects. To clear some mental space and make progress on your larger goals, give yourself one meeting-free day each week. Block it off on your calendar and commit to leaving the whole day open for work. Use the time for tasks that require focus and high-level thinking, such as writing, strategic planning,…
To increase worker performance, employers invest in a number of things, from rewards and incentives to education and training. But there is a surprisingly simple way to increase productivity, one that is low-cost and has immediate effect: better office seating arrangements. Recent research suggests that whom you sit next to affects how you perform and can improve productivity and work quality. So if you tend to focus on quality (you…
Uncertainty, whether it’s due to a reorganization at your company or political turmoil, is uncomfortable for everyone. If you sense that your employees are concerned about the future, don’t carry on with business as usual — directly acknowledge the issue. Even if your intention is to keep people focused, bottling your emotions and expecting employees to do the same can be dangerous. People may start to feel uncomfortable voicing their…
We all want to feel that what we do every day matters. But when you’re wading through tedious meetings and endless to-do lists — perhaps with less-than-inspirational managers breathing down your neck — it’s hard to feel a sense of purpose about your work. Fortunately, many studies have shown that even a brief moment of reflection can help boost your performance and resilience. Ask yourself questions that help you see…
Everyone has those small but necessary tasks — clearing out the overflowing inbox, making the introductions you promised to, or filing the stack of paperwork. If you can’t delegate or jettison these types of tasks, here are two ways to take care of them efficiently: Batch your less important tasks. Do them all at once, creating a sense of momentum. You can park yourself at a local café and vow…