Posts by Jo Ilfeld, PhD
Why Your Executive Personal Brand Matters (Even If You’re Not Job Searching)
If you’re an executive, your personal brand isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a career necessity. Whether you’re actively job searching or not, your reputation as a subject matter expert can open doors long before you need them. In my latest LinkedIn Live, I spoke with Michelle Mendoza, a certified career coach, and she emphasized that building…
Read MoreSoft Power for Success
When setting your goals, it’s important to think strategically about how we can achieve them. One concept that is often overlooked in leadership is soft power—the ability to influence others without formal authority or control. Take 10 minutes today to map out your top three to five goals for the second half of 2025. Then,…
Read MoreFrom Problems to Possibilities
Change is inevitable, but how your team responds to it makes all the difference. In a recent conversation with executives, one recurring challenge emerged—how to stay strategically aligned while adapting to unexpected external changes, like shifts in federal policy or industry regulations. It’s easy for teams to get stuck in a cycle of worrying about…
Read MoreMy 2025 Book List: Here’s What I’m Reading
“Jo, please do one of your book reviews again,” my friend, Rebecca always asks. I haven’t done one in awhile so let me share my review of a few new books I’ve read recently. Back in January I read this new release from Dan Heath called “Reset: How To Change What’s Not Working.” I’ve read several of Dan Heath’s other books and I enjoy…
Read MoreBoundaries in the Workplace: Understanding Different Responses
In a recent exercise on boundaries, I gained a new insight about the way we react to requests at work. Some people have an automatic inclination to say “yes” to others, trying to be helpful and make things happen. However, overcommitting can lead to stress, overwhelm, and eventually the realization that we’ve taken on more…
Read MoreBurnout & Balance: A High Achiever’s Dilemma
Dear Dr. Jo, I’m a female entrepreneur who has achieved what some consider significant success, but for me it comes at too much personal cost. As a leader, I over-function. I work too much. I feel too much. The cost is that I’m nearly always either teetering on the edge of burnout or I’m burned…
Read More5 Steps to Great Leadership
Recently, I was in a meeting with a group of really smart coaches. One of them shared these 5 Steps of Great Leadership. No-one in the group could find the citation or an attribution for these steps. So if you know where they came from, please share in the comments below. But in the meantime,…
Read MoreDear Dr. Jo: My New Work Advice Column
I have a secret confession. I’m a huge fan of advice columns. Ask Amy, Dear Miss Manners, Dear Abby, Carolyn Hax, Asking Eric—you name it, I read them all. But more than that, I’ve always harbored a deep desire to start my own advice column, giving out advice in the arena I know best: leadership and…
Read MoreBeyond the Resume: 3 Power Moves for Your Executive Job Search
An executive job search isn’t just about having an impressive resume and applying for jobs through job boards such as LinkedIn—it’s about visibility, strategy, and meaningful connections. Too often, leaders focus solely on their credentials when what truly sets them apart is how they engage with their network and position themselves in their industry. On…
Read MoreWhen Change Isn’t an Option
We’ve all encountered situations at work that feel stuck—difficult dynamics, organizational red tape, or systems that refuse to budge. Often, our first instinct is to figure out how to fix things: change the people, the processes, or the circumstances. While this can be powerful, sometimes change simply isn’t possible—at least not in the short term.…
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