Video: Learning Snacks

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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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View from the Top: Is It Really Worth It?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | August 14, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, CEO of Incite to Leadership on the view from the top shows Jo Ilfeld on Carmel beach.

Recently, I was running in one of my favorite places  in the world, Carmel by the Sea, California. And upon my run, I came to Carmel River Beach. Now, this is a beautiful beach on the outskirts of Carmel and the second most popular beach in Carmel.  As you can see from my selfie of me on Carmel River…

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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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If You Get Anxious Right before a Meeting Try This

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | July 23, 2024 |

I recently read Charles Duhigg’s new book, Supercommunicators. Being a fan of his work, I wanted to share an insightful tip he mentioned in an HBR article about what you can do if you get anxious right before a meeting. If you have a meeting with someone that you’re excited about, anxious about, or nervous…

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Stop Thinking This Is a Waste of Your Time

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | July 17, 2024 |

What’s your attitude when you need to talk to someone during the workday? Do you think it’s a waste of your time? I had a great conversation with a client the other week. She had a realization that I just had to pass on. She mentioned how she often wants to quickly get things done…

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The Power of Transparency

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | July 3, 2024 |

I recently had two contrasting conversations that underscored the importance of transparency in leadership. Now, let me ask you: when faced with the choice of sharing what’s going on or withholding information, which way do you usually lean? In both instances, the discussions centered around the profound impact of transparency on team dynamics.  While your…

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The Power of Second-Order Thinking

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | June 26, 2024 |

Have you ever thought you had the perfect solution only to realize it wasn’t as easy as you initially thought? In my executive coaching practice, I often see my clients jump straight to implementing new solutions, especially during reorgs or when moving people around. They focus on the desired outcome and the immediate fix, which…

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Accountability: Leveraging Your Team

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | June 19, 2024 |

Have you ever thought about all the things you need to get done and felt a sense of dread, overwhelm, or resistance? Recently, I discussed with a friend this universal experience of holding ourselves accountable for tasks. We often feel we “should” do this or “should” have completed that by now. If you’re in the…

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Bring Back Small Talk

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | June 5, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, CEO of Incite to Leadership on small talk the image shows a midlife woman with glasses chatting to a male colleague while holding a cup of coffee

Have you ever wondered if we should bring small talk back? Pre-COVID, I often discussed how the most important parts of meetings were the small talk moments—those informal chats while waiting for others to join or as everyone left the room. This small talk bonded people through shared experiences, like seeing the same movie or…

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Are Your Motivations Clear in Crucial Conversations?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | May 29, 2024 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, CEO of Incite to Leadership on overcomplicating things clear motivations the images shows a woman with crossed hands thinking.

Have you ever worried about having a crucial conversation and whether it might upset the other person or tarnish your relationship? Recently I discussed with my husband a difficult conversation he needed to have. One key aspect we talked about was his motivation for having this conversation. It’s important to be clear about your motivations…

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