Posts by Jo Ilfeld, PhD
Have You Done Your Personal SWOT Analysis for 2024?
By now your function or group at work has probably finished its strategic plan and 2024 forecast. What about your own future? How far out are you thinking about your life, trends in your industry, and what might be around the corner? The Institute For The Future found that more than a quarter of Americans say that they rarely…
Read MoreHow to Be a Great Referral Source
Do you consider yourself to be a good referral source? After I received a great referral from someone recently, it made me reflect on how people appreciate connectors; the ones who know the things that we need, people who are the referral source for us, who reach all the best people. Finding the right recommendation…
Read MoreTough Questions: Go Ahead and Ask Them
Asking tough questions is not easy. When working with teams, one of the most important things to do is to open up a discussion where everyone’s voice is heard and make sure that everyone weighs in. This often means delving into uncomfortable territories or posing tough questions. Oftentimes when this happens, someone will say something…
Read MoreMake Your Business Travel Count
Business travel is back on, even if it’s not as routine as it was pre-2020. In a recent discussion with executive team members located across the country in various locations, we talked about the value of strategic thinking when on business trips. If you’re already taking the time away from your family and your current…
Read MoreMastering the Art of Apology
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you realized you’ve made a mistake and hurriedly rushed to apologize, only to sense something wasn’t quite right? You’re not alone. Recently, I’ve been working on an article on what to do when you mess up and in the process, dived into the nuances of apologies…
Read MoreAre You Stuck in the Holiday Messy Middle?
Between now and the end of the year, we are in that slog between Thanksgiving and New Year’s where everyone is either gearing up to close the year strong or starting to check out mentally. Depending on your industry, you might be wrapping up projects and tasks, or going into overdrive to close sales, meet…
Read MoreDo You Know Why You’re Doing That?
Spending part of the summer in Carmel has become a significant ‘Why” for me. It started during the pandemic. I realized how meaningful it was for me to have a couple of summer weeks where I take daily walks on the beach with my pups, enjoy some amazing California cuisine, and experience the slower pace…
Read More5 Tips For Better Collaboration
Effective collaboration is not as easy as you might think. This year I had the benefit of having several lovely collaborations as well as working with several different teams on their collaborations. I thought I would just sum up some of this wisdom for you in no particular order. What I learned about good collaboration this year:…
Read MoreAre You Feeling Unappreciated At Work?
Do you ever find yourself feeling unappreciated at work? In a recent conversation with a client, we celebrated her business’s remarkable growth, the accomplishments of her team, and the successful implementation of numerous Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that were absent just a few years ago. As we talked, we discussed how important it is not…
Read MoreWorkplace Relationships: Make Connections Not Transactions
Do you have those people that your stomach just drops every time you see an email or a phone call from them? Those whose messages induce a feeling of dread? These are the people who only reach out when they need something. It’s a very transactional relationship that is often a request for your time…
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