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.

How to Stay In the Picture With Online Presentations

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | May 3, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on presenting online the image shows a Black man sitting in front of a laptop wearing a headset.

Do you hate it when you give an online presentation at work and your slides take up the majority of the screen, while you and your expressions, your thoughts on your face about what you were presenting, is all off the side, maybe not even very visible? As an executive leadership coach, I often see…

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Get Some Sunlight…and Some New Ideas

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | April 27, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on zoom meetings and getting outside the image shows sunlight shining through the trees.

As an executive leadership coach, I understand the challenges of a Zoom meeting-filled day. It can be draining to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, especially when our space may not look like the beautiful, spacious, and well-lit background you can see on my screen in this video (thank you, Dina…

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Effective Communication: Making Requests Clear and Easy

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | April 20, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on making clear requests the image shows a woman with her hand out.

Communication is a common area where many of us struggle. Don’t you hate it when you remember just as you’re about to fall asleep at night about the text you forgot to reply to or the email you never responded to? This happens to me frequently. With so many requests coming in through various channels,…

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Can Your Strengths Have a Dark Side?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | April 13, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on strengths the image shows two arrows one representing strength, the other weakness.

In all my years of doing 360s, one thing that I often see is how someone’s strengths can have a dark side that can come back to derail them or bite them in the behind. One of the most common things I hear almost every single time is that someone’s growth opportunity is usually an…

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Uncertainty and Change: It Needs to be Addressed

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | April 6, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on uncertainty the image of an old typewriter with the word change written on the paper.

Uncertainty and change are key aspects that leaders often overlook when planning team-building events or an off-site but it is important to address these issues as they can be particularly challenging for teams. All too often, team building events can get focused on what’s ahead or what is expected from people and how you want…

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How to Give Introverts Time and Space in Meetings

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | March 30, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on introverts the image shows two people holding up pictures of other faces to cover their own.

When running a meeting, how long do you give the introverts in the room to come up with their opinion about a proposal and how much space do you give the introverts in the room to come up with a proposal? This was a question that a client and I were discussing recently. She likes…

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Career Risks: How Do You Make the Leap?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | March 23, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on career risks the image shows a woman leaping across some rocks.

Last month I made the leap and got a new puppy. Other than the obvious cuteness factor, why I am sharing this? Well, recently I’ve been speaking with several clients who are contemplating risky moves in their careers and asking themselves is now the right time. Will I regret doing this down the road? Am…

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How Do You End Relationships Honorably?

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | March 16, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on closure the image shows an empty road with sign saying "empty road ahead"

Do you practice “honorable closure?” As an executive leadership coach, I often speak with my clients about the importance of ending things honorably. In today’s fast-paced business world, it’s easy to get caught up in the next project or the next big thing and forget to take a moment to appreciate what has come before.…

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Gathering 360 Feedback? Two Things You Should Know

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | March 9, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on 360 feedback the image a hand writing with the words 360 feedback on the right.

360 feedback is a commonly used tool to help individuals gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses. However, not all 360 feedback is created equal. First and foremost, it is important to understand the purpose of the 360 feedback. If it is being used for performance evaluations, the feedback may be less honest and transparent…

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Do as I Say, Not as I Do!

By Jo Ilfeld, PhD | March 3, 2023 |
For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on setting a good example the image a group of penguins following the lead penguin.

Do as I Say, Not as I Do! This infamous statement, if not spoken by most parents and leaders, certainly is an accurate reflection of the type of behaviors we want to cultivate in others. You want them to learn from your mistakes, not adopt your bad habits and to generally be happier and more…

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