Leadership Blog

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From Incite to Leadership founder and CEO Jo Ilfeld, read the latest on strategic vision, leading change amid complexity, and honing the way you communicate and collaborate with others. Get resources, practical strategies, research, and more.

Tough Questions: Go Ahead and Ask Them 

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | December 26, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on asking tough questions the image shows two women sitting across the table from someone else engaged in a deep discussion.

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…

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Make Your Business Travel Count

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | December 19, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on business travel the image shows a man in a suit checking into a hotel.

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…

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Mastering the Art of Apology

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | December 12, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on the art of apology the image shows a man sheepishly holding up a sign saying "I'm Sorry"

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…

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Are You Stuck in the Holiday Messy Middle?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | December 5, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on the end of year at work the image shows a set of two arrows going in two directions

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…

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Do You Know Why You’re Doing That?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 29, 2023 |

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…

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5 Tips For Better Collaboration

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 22, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on collaboration the image shows a group of business people holding hands in line.

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:…

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Are You Feeling Unappreciated At Work?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 15, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on feeling unappreciated the image shows a disillusioned woman staring at her computer screen.

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…

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Workplace Relationships: Make Connections Not Transactions

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 8, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on transactional relationships at work the image shows a woman in front of a laptop with her head in her hands.

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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Mastering the Art of Effective Feedback: The SBI Technique

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 1, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on feedback the image shows a man talking to another male across a desk with a laptop in between them.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to provide feedback to a colleague but struggled with how to formulate it? My executive coaching clients often express to me how giving feedback can be challenging. This is also a topic that frequently arises in my teaching and workshops, particularly those centered around…

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Frustrated by Return-to-Office Policies? 

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | October 3, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on return-to-work policies the image shows a woman looking up wistfully at an office building.

Are you in a workplace that is changing their return-to-office policies? It’s a topic that I have been discussing more often recently with my clients. I recently received a call from a friend whose company is turning the screws on going back to work in the office. For her and many others, this transition presents…

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