13 minute read
Jenn Lofgren and Shawn Gibson
Leading by Example to SupportHER™
JENN LOFGREN SHAWN GIBSON
Managing Partner | Incito.ca
Tell us about yourself and how you ended up working with Incito? Jenn: As the Founder and Managing Partner at Incito, I’ve spent almost 14 years living out my passion for helping leaders become their very best for themselves, their teams and their organizations. I come to this work from a first career in technology designing national and international infrastructure that had me partnering with the business on technology strategy. It was in technology that I developed a curiosity for the journey of leadership and wanted to become a part of helping not only technology leaders but all leaders be better.
Today, I have worked with and supported thousands of leaders through individual coaching, team coaching, leadership workshops, speaking, and now through my book, The Inspired Leader: A Reference Guide. I am passionate about Incito’s values that remind us to see a leader as a person first and their role second. Seeing a leader for their humanity helps us be passionate thought partners who challenge with curiosity and help them make courageous choices from new places of awareness.
Away from work, I’m about community and family. I believe leadership starts outside of the workplace and I’m an active board member serving organizations who benefit our communities youth, arts, business, education and parks. I’ve benefited greatly in my life in all of these community areas and believe whole heartedly in contributing back what I’ve so generously received. When it comes to family, I am committed to being brave in joining my husband and daughter in adventures learning to ski, golf, and so much more that become things I’ve grown to love and cherish. Helping leaders on their development journey demands that I model the way and invest in my own development. My path has been one of continued professional development including designations in Human Resources, earning the esteemed ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors and numerous leadership tools, licenses and assessments. This helps me understand with compassion the challenges our clients face on their development journey and helps me become an even better thought partner to them every day.
Shawn: I am a former senior executive turned strategist with experience building business and high performing teams in startups, technology, and multinational manufacturing organizations. I enjoy the challenges of building business, value for customers and have a strong focus on team performance, continuous learning and innovation. In my experience, I’ve seen that leadership teams often have aspects of their business strategy figured out and need support to fulfill their entire vision.
As one of the founders of a technology startup, I helped our team navigate through its storming to performing years –building teams and products used to improve reliability in semiconductor equipment, subsea compressors and more. I also led and developed high performing teams at a highly trusted multinational manufacturing organization, growing from international business development, general management to President of the Canadian operations. I was integral to the digital transformation strategy, nurturing teams working on new business models, connected products, acquisitions and organization transformation. I know firsthand the power of
Partner, Executive Strategy, Incito Executive and Leadership Development | Incito.ca
coaching and the positive impact of a high trust coaching relationship. Throughout my career, coaching has been a common thread to achieve impactful results in sometimes extraordinarily difficult circumstances. I am passionate about helping other executives and founders lead with intention to strengthen their organizations. I am a result focused individual and I like work to be fulfilling and fun – a mindset I want to share with other leaders and their teams.
Outside of work, I am eager for adventures in the mountains with family and friends – anywhere with a trail, snow or water. I wholeheartedly embrace family life with my wife and two amazing daughters.
I’m a business builder and love innovating to create valuable things. Most of my story has been around building teams that build technical products and services. The greatest insight I have gained is the critical role leadership plays in the success of everyone on the team. Early in my career I was a co-founder of a tech company called Revolve where the team unlocked really hard technical challenges. It was also a team that recognized the importance of leadership, cross functional contributions and diverse skillsets from both men and women. It provided me with experience of being part of a women lead organization – bottom line it’s all about leadership rather than gender. My current focus continues to be on leadership. My mission is to partner with leaders so they are seen, heard and understood and feel empowered to make choices that lead to a better world – a better employee experience, a better customer experience, a better result for their stakeholders. I recognize that I can do this better working in a team to collaborate, learn and innovate better ways to help other leaders. My journey has always included working in diverse teams and I continue that as a Partner at Incito leading the Executive Strategy practice. Incito is the premier executive development firm to uniquely elevate executive and development mindsets creating the foundation for the highest and most meaningful outcomes for our clients’ business and personal lives. Incito was founded and is lead by Jenn Lofgren – an inspiring thought leader, entrepreneur and business partner. More than a business partnership we are finding ways to challenge, learn and support each other so we can have a positive impact for all our clients. What led you to become partners? What were the leadership qualities were important to you? Jenn: It was unexpected when I first met Shawn and I immediately recognized there was something special about him and our potential future relationship. I was looking for a business partner for a few years and was introduced to Shawn for a coffee with a more general networking context. In that meeting it was clear we had aligned values, business vision and impact aspirations. It was over the course of just a few meetings that I realized that the potential of building an even stronger business to have a greater impact in the world was possible with an aligned easy partner. Our conversations were easy despite the uncomfortable and vulnerable topics that go with navigating potential partnership. I looked forward to each conversation more than the last learning something new each time and leaving with more inspiration about a realistic possible new future.
Shawn: In my very first meeting with my business partner, Jenn, the conversation was really about exploring what each of us wanted and the kinds of valuable experiences each of us had – it was easy and interesting that left me eager for the next conversation. I wanted to contribute, and Jenn was open and trusting. From that meeting, I was hopeful that our backgrounds and common purpose to help people develop their leadership skills would grow into a partnership. As we had more meetings, I learned more about how Jenn thinks and her personality style. To be honest, I also felt some doubt – we are very different. Jenn tends to be quicker to decide, while I like to understand and have options. I also began to understand that these differences are a strength when we take time to value them. What she would tell you about our interactions is similar – it was easy and interesting. She also felt optimistic especially when I was clear about how I wanted to contribute. She’d also tell you that she felt a clear sense of my contribution, vulnerability and trust from our very first meeting.
What do you admire about your business partner? Jenn: Shawn is gifted at bringing out inner thinking for executives and teams. His patient and curious approach creates the space for important thinking to emerge and develop into dialogue moving the leader and the teams forward.
Shawn: Jenn is an exceptional thought partner for executive leaders, leadership teams and as a business partner. I admire how she notices things that might be holding people back and thoughtfully gets them unlocked.
What are the benefits of gender equality in the workplace? Jenn: Gender equality is essential to building highly effective leadership and front-line teams beginning with a foundation of trust. Where equality exists, everyone feels a greater sense of safety to be vulnerable in sharing ideas, giving feedback and being candid about their abilities and commitments. Without equality there can be no healthy debate, no deep commitment to decisions and as a result accountability and organizational results suffer. Gender equity isn’t just good for employees, its essential for achieving exceptional strategic and long-term business results.
Shawn: Innovation is a key part of business strategy and I believe this is one of the key benefits for having gender equality in the workplace. Innovation happens when there is diversity of thought that is shared amongst people that have developed a vulnerability based trust with each other. Innovation is inherently risky and gender equality can help teams find opportunities and navigate that risk together.
Why is it important now more than ever for women to be visible leaders?
Jenn: Leading from behind doesn’t mean being invisible. All leaders must model the behaviours, decisions and actions they aspire to see grow in those around them. Doing this creates a wave of courage that is contagious for those inspired to follow them.
Shawn: We need strong leadership now more than ever period. Women play an important leadership role in any team to build trust and have candid conversations that lead to a better outcome.
How can men play a role to advancing women in the workplace? Jenn: I see men being a champion for women’s advancement by embracing courageous conversations of all kinds. This goes beyond advocating for advancement and mentorship but in tackling uncomfortable conversations around truly living and embracing organizational values in everyday moments, decisions, actions and behaviours. Doing this will normalize these conversations including those around gender and equity.
Shawn: I see two roles men play in advancing women in the workplace. The first is to be a strong leader themselves – to build leadership teams, collaborate, learn and collectively build a better future together including women. The second is to hold other people accountable to the idea of gender equity in the workplace. So…promote good leadership and be accountable to gender equity.
How can companies drive change for equity, diversity and inclusion and to support the advancement of women in leadership roles? We believe the most effective change comes from strategic planning where the whole organization is driving towards a set of business outcomes. Equity, diversity and inclusion should be one of the drivers that support the organization to achieve these business outcomes. For example, an organization looking to become more innovative might use DEI initiatives as a way to achieve that outcome. This way it becomes part of the process of change rather than the end state itself.
How do you SupportHER™? Shawn: Women play a critical role in the transformation of businesses that are traditionally male lead. I value supporting and facilitating the growth of these women to play important roles. - Leadership development with women in senior roles at Fintech and Energy companies.
I am inspired by these women that find ways to become more influential, step into challenging situations with more confidence and recognize that they are more powerful by asking questions than having all the answers. - Partnering with a woman entrepreneur for strategy development. This is brave work and I am proud to be a thought partner to a woman with huge aspirations and willing to take the necessary risks to change the world for the better of other women. - Mentoring and supporting several hipotential women at a multi-national manufacturing company with women specific leadership programs.
Leveling the playing field to SupportHER™
CHANTAL MILLOY
Co-founder, COO, Levvel Inc. | 2021 Women of Inspiration™ SupportHER™ Award | levvel.ca
BRIAN MILLOY
Co-founder, President and CEO, Levvel Inc. | 2021 Women of Inspiration™ SupportHER™ Award | levvel.ca
With over 20 years of management experience, working across several industries that have seen mass organizational change, I am accustomed to working within, and leading people through, stressful situations while remaining calm and levelheaded. My career and reputation have been built on having a positive outlook on life, connecting with people, and building strong relationships across all levels, cultures, and generations within an organization and within the community.
In 2016, my husband and I left careers in management to start an IT Services and Consulting organization. We were intent on getting people back to work in a difficult Alberta economy, equaling the playing field for women in tech, providing opportunities for marginalized populations, and mentoring the next generation. And so Levvel was born. Doubling revenue yearover-year between 2016 and 2019, we were recognized as one of Canada’s fastest-growing start-ups in 2020 by Canadian Business and featured in Maclean’s magazine. As co-founder of Levvel, trust, and integrity are the values I hold dear and are what guide me in life, both personally and professionally and this is where the core of Levvel’s philosophy comes from.
I was born in Montreal, Quebec. Several decades, companies, and Canadian cities later I arrived in Calgary Alberta, which I now call home. For over 30 years, I’ve had the privilege to work with, and learn from, some amazing people in several world-class organizations across Canada. I have held a variety of roles in the Information Technology space, beginning as a software developer, solutions architect, project manager, and executive. During this time, I’ve experienced first-hand, the dramatic advancements and evolution of information technology and how it has changed the way companies and people do business with each other.
Technology is my trade, but people are my passion, and business done right is my drive!
I continue to lend my voice and support wherever I can and now serve as a board member and co-chair at Distress Centre Calgary as well as a board member and co-chair of the small business & Entrepreneur sub-committee for the Alberta Chapter of the Black North Initiative, an incredible organization working hard to remove anti-black systemic barriers, negatively affecting the lives of Black Canadians.
