Leadership

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Best Advice for New Grads

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | October 23, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, CEO of Incite to Leadership on the best advice for new grads shows a set of steps made out of wooden blocks.

An edited version of this article appeared in Forbes Coaches Council If you could go back in time, what advice would you have given your newly graduated self? I wrote this latest newsletter this past summer when I was in Carmel for my third annual “work-cation” with my husband. I’ve come to value this time…

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Are You Rewarding Bad Behavior?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | September 4, 2024 |

I received some advice recently from my dog trainer after I shared my frustrations about one of the things that my puppy does that annoys me. The trainer pointed out that my puppy kept engaging in certain behaviors because, unknowingly, I was rewarding him with attention. This got me thinking about how it translates to…

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Here’s Why You Should Celebrate Endings

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | August 21, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, CEO of Incite to Leadership celebrate endings the image shows a group of people in an office cheering and smiling.

Endings are a natural part of life, but how often do we actually take the time to celebrate them? I’ve been giving some thought to this lately because my son recently graduated and I finished up a course I had been taking for the last few months. Colleges are amazing at celebrating endings—think of the…

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It’s NOT All About the Money

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | August 7, 2024 |

If someone is getting paid for a job, shouldn’t they want to do what you’re requesting? I often hear from clients, “I’m paying them to do this job. Why do I need to be nice to them? Why do I need to figure out what motivates them?” Here’s the reality: Most people, probably including yourself,…

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Stepping Up: 3 Tools for Navigating New Challenges

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | July 31, 2024 |

This article was first shared in Forbes. Recently one of my former clients, Rena, contacted me both excited and pensive. She had just been offered a big new senior role and she wanted my help to “hit the ground running without being intimidated.” Rena is not alone. Many of my clients are also undertaking big…

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Strengths Analysis: A Key Question You Are Missing

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | April 17, 2024 |

When analyzing your strengths, what’s one question you probably don’t ask yourself? It’s common to assess our strengths and weaknesses through tools like a SWOT analysis. I often do my own for myself and my business at the end of the year. However, amidst this process, there’s one crucial question often overlooked: How do we…

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Why Is Change So Emotional?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | April 10, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on on why change is emotional the image a yellow painted wall being painted over with an orange roller.

In the midst of organizational change, ever wondered why rationality often takes a back seat? Recently, I was talking with a client about a big change effort that she and her team are immersed in.  We were exploring why individuals weren’t embracing the transition logically. The conclusion we came to is that change invariably carries an emotional component, whether it promises improvement or upheaval. Even if the change is for…

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Start Strong: Your First 30 Days In A New Job

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | March 20, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on starting strong in a new job the image shows an empty road with the words start on it.

“I got the job!” is a frequent text I get from clients – who calls these days? My clients are high performers and they want to aim even higher. New jobs and roles are an occupational hazard for many successful leaders. It’s hard to keep moving up unless you’re willing to take on new challenges,…

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