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.

Going Up? The Secret To Navigating Career Growth and Ambition

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | February 8, 2015 |

“Going Up?” This the common reframe you hear as you step into an elevator. This past week I spent 3 days masterminding with colleagues at the San Jose Doubletree Hilton. I noticed immediately that my room on the 7th floor was on the HHonors floor.

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How Birthdays And The Super Bowl Can Teach Leadership

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | February 1, 2015 |
Learning Leadership From Birthday And the Super Bowl

It’s Super Bowl Sunday today and the game is over. The victory parties might still be raging on but my kids are tucked into bed. Today was also my daughter’s 7th birthday. I realized today that Super Bowls celebrations, like birthdays can shed some great insights into building great teams at work. 1) Rituals Matter – For…

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What To Do When Your Big Idea Scares You

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | January 21, 2015 |

It’s January. This is the time of resolutions, fresh starts and big visions. For some people, the new year offers a chance to reflect and set new goals. For others, it serves as a new reminder that the time is now to act on your big goal.

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People Skills: The 3 Must-Read Books to Help You Improve Yours Instantly

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | December 21, 2014 |
People Skills: The 3 Must-Read Books to Help You Improve Yours Instantly

Or at least instantly get the ideas to help you improve them People skills, like any other skill, need constant updating, evolving and upgrading. Books are a great way to up-level your people management and leadership skills, easily and effectively.

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Why Gratitude Matters (& Happy Thanksgiving!)

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 27, 2014 |
why gratitude matters

The countdown to this year’s Thanksgiving feast is here, and although these days all our holiday dinners resemble feasts of enormous amounts of food, family members and yes, sometimes familial tensions, Thanksgiving was originally conceived as a gratitude feast.

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How to Improve Leadership Skills: Are You Making these Little-Known Mistakes?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | November 13, 2014 |
How to Improve Leadership Skills: Are You Making these Little-Known Mistakes?

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” —Lao Tzu

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What Should You Do About Negative Feedback (Especially When It’s Personal)

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | October 30, 2014 |
what you should do about negative feedback

“Across 248 reviews from 28 companies, managers, whether male or female, gave female employees more negative feedback than they gave male employees. Second, 76 percent of the negative feedback given to women included some kind of personality criticism, such as comments that the woman was “abrasive,” “judgmental” or “strident.” Only 2 percent of men’s critical…

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3 Strategies for Dealing With A Challenging Work Relationship

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | October 23, 2014 |
3 Strategies for Dealing With A Challenging Work Relationship

I have a 6 year old daughter. Why am I telling you this? I want you to understand why I’ve seen Frozen multiple times and know the whole soundtrack by heart. I’m really not a Disney princess fanatic, I just. . . . have a 6 year-old daughter.

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Too Busy to Meditate?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | October 16, 2014 |
Too Busy to Meditate?

Yup, sometimes I feel that way too. That’s why I was really excited to discover that the innovator between the “one-minute meditation” now has a free app. You can download it here.

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Do you mean it when you say “I’m sorry!”?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | October 13, 2014 |
do you mean it when you say i'm sorry

I’m finding myself reflecting on the changes inherent in autumn – what is growing, and what is ending. And this makes me think about how you can help those around you during times of transition and change.

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