Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
With a zest for life and a love for learning, Krumma is not your average leadership coach. Her journey, native to the raw and beautiful landscapes of Iceland, has taken her across the bustling cities of Europe and the dynamic corporate environments of the United States. Based in the inner suburbs of Paris, Krumma is crafting a new narrative for leadership development, focusing on creating a real harmony between performance and multidimensional wellbeing. Krumma´s expertise extends beyond her years, encompassing over 20 years of international hospitality operations and management, training, coaching and mentoring. Yet, she cherishes a heartfelt commitment to individual growth and team dynamics, blending professional prowess with a genuine desire to uplift those she works with. It’s not by coincidence that ‘Love of Learning’ ranks among her top strengths, complemented by an unwavering sense of fairness and zest.
These aren´t just qualities; for Krumma, they are tools of the trade, deployed expertly to resolve conflicts, foster organizational well-being, and enhance performance. Her approach is underpinned by positive psychology, a foundation that she doesn’t just preach but practices in her personal and professional life. This synergy, she believes, is the key to her success and the success of her clients, who range from aspiring graduate students to seasoned CEOs. Krumma’s present endeavor, the "Thrive to Perform & Perform to Thrive" mental fitness program, isn´t a mere project. It´s a reflection of her vision to bridge higher education and practical, impactful organizational change. Through this initiative, she aims to cultivate emotional intelligence, resilience, and psychological capital in today’s professionals. Educationally, Krumma is on a journey that mirrors her commitment to continuous growth.
She’s embarked on a Ph.D. in Leadership and Strategic Management, building on an MSc in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology and a BSc in Hospitality Management. In Krumma´s view, every certification—from her status as a Senior Practitioner of the EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council) to her role as a Global EMCC research volunteer—is not a badge of honor, but a pledge to maintain the highest standards in her work. In a world where assertiveness is often mistaken for arrogance, Krumma stands as a testament to the power of humility, grounded expertise, and the unwavering commitment to helping others thrive.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
A lot has been told in the intro. I recently had a chat with a peer coach, and I realized I talk about my life in chapters. Chapter 1 Gymnastics and Iceland; Chapter 2 Moving to France and Hospitality; Chapter 3; Higher Education, Training and Coaching; and finally, Chapter 4; My mission to impact the way we prepare our future leaders and how we educate current ones on performance and multidimensional well-being. Maybe one day this will be a book…
Chapter One: My journey began in the world of gymnastics, sparked by my seemingly inexhaustible energy as a child. My father enrolled me in gymnastics classes in my hometown of Gardabaer, Iceland, and this became a defining aspect of my life until I was 22. While I might not have been a natural talent, my perseverance and determination stood out. My experience in gymnastics provided me with a comprehensive, 360-degree perspective on well-being, teaching me the importance of physical conditioning, high-level technical skills, mental resilience, deep concentration, nurturing social relationships, and the significance of meticulous guidance.
Chapter Two: After gymnastics, my life took a turn in 1995 when I moved to France. With my basic French and backpack, I embarked on a 20-year career in international hospitality. My first job was at Disney, and I was immediately drawn to this vibrant, challenging environment, working alongside passionate colleagues. From the reception desk to the executive committee, I held 21 positions over the years, continually striving to learn and grow. The hospitality industry, however, was demanding, with little emphasis on self-care. This was hard for me to understand or accept. Management often saw me as a troublemaker as from the very start I challenged the status quo and managed my team's ‘my way’ encouraging team members to learn, grow, move, rest, etc. This chapter also marks meeting my husband and having 3 wonderful kids.
Chapter Three: In 2013, I became the Regional Training Manager for 654 hotels in Europe, a position where I could leverage my past experiences and personal values, advocating for proactive preparation rather than reactive repair. After cherishing my time in this role, I took a bold step to join a higher education institution called Ferrières. We embarked on a journey to transform education, and under our president´s leadership, we built a unique school that prepares students not only for their careers but also for life itself. Between 2011 and 2019 I also obtained 2 university degrees, A BSc in Hospitality Management and a MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, hence bridging my intuitions and practices with a solid scientific foundation.
Chapter Four: Now, I stand at the cusp of my fourth life. I am the proud founder of Positive Performances, a leadership development venture since 2020, and kicking off my Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Leadership focusing on researching the development of thriving workplaces through well-being-oriented education. In a nutshell, my life has been a rich tapestry of learning, from the gymnasium floors in Iceland to the bustling world of international hospitality and the transformative realm of higher education. Every step has shaped who I am, equipping me for my current mission: fostering well-being and excellence in education and organizations alike. Really thank you for asking this question as it invited me to look back and appreciate the journey.
Could you provide an overview of Positive Performances and the services you
offer in the realm of executive coaching and personal development?
I say Positive Performances is a Leadership Development venture and, in my opinion, everyone is a leader. One of the most interesting sets of leadership observations for researchers is…. The kindergarten. We look at everyone as a leader and Our VISION is to create a world where people are fulfilled, where professionals are distinguished by their excellence, and where organizations achieve exceptional levels of performance. The MISSION of Positive Performances is to offer an innovative approach aimed at reshaping the panoramas of individual and collective well-being. We challenge the status quo, bringing emotional and psychological perspectives into the realms of leadership and performance. We offer coaching, mentoring, training, and conferences like many other consulting firms. We do though stand apart in several ways. One, we provide the same high-caliber programs in higher education and for organizations.
Another is that we consider the individual, team, or organization holistically. Whilst one needs to perform, produce more than they cost, meet their targets, and defend results profits, and loss, they also have multiple other ecosystems to manage, family, friends, society, sickness, trauma, celebrations, and so on. Recently in a training room with senior executives, we (me and the participants) spent ‘unexpectedly’ over half an hour helping one of the executives to navigate the trauma related to the fact that two trees had been cut down with no notice just in front of his balcony. Too few organizations admit that we are not only financial directors or HR, but we also come to work as a ‘Whole’. The executive in question was angry, confused, he wanted his trees back. This was preventing him to be efficient at work. Together we applied some techniques borrowed from coaching and therapy to develop skills and agility to manage such events for ourselves and for others with compassion, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. This is just one example of the “PP Way”
You mention "multidimensional well-being" on your website. How do you define this concept, and how does it play a role in the work you do with your clients?
There are a lot of academic definitions of multidimensional well-being. Before answering, allow me to set the context; I would invite you to look at life as a garden. Gardens have seasons and even the smallest garden has its own ecosystem. If we approach life as a garden, we immediately accept that it needs to be taken care of, all the time, relentlessly and intentionally. We would understand that we cannot flourish all the time, that adversity is a part of life, and that we sometimes need to stop to appreciate the beauty of what we have and the hard work that has enabled us to harvest. My definition could go like this:
"Multidimensional well-being" is the holistic state of health and fulfillment in which physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects are in harmony. Like a garden that needs consistent care through different seasons, it involves the intentional and ongoing effort to nurture and balance these different facets of life."
Your approach involves providing tools for positive change. Could you elaborate on some of these tools and how they contribute to freeing the mind and fostering positive change?
My practice is grounded in Positive Psychology, and I continuously reinforce my scientific knowledge. As I like doing things my way I would probably talk about concepts and theories rather than tools. Unlike coaches who are experts in a specific coaching technique, I am more into people, behavior, and neuroscience, hence I strive to adapt to their specific needs. A coaching journey with me can be very different for one client and another. Thus said, there are three needs that are frequently met. One is the development of self-awareness and emotional agility. People do not know themselves to the extent that they are totally unable to anticipate their own reactions to a frequent situation or even recognize their own emotions.
The busy CEO who says “That’s not true” to their assistant who tries to give them feedback about the meeting where they raised their voice again is actually being honest as they did not notice their behavior. The restless IT Director who always interrupts the Financial Director by saying you never allow me to finish what I am saying, really believes it is him being interrupted and not the other way around because he’s totally unable to observe himself in action.
Only if you know yourself, you can start to manage yourself.
Only when you manage yourself, you will create space in your mind to observe others,
And influence others
And become a leader who positively inspires their followers.
This is drawn from Daniel Goleman’s approach to the development of emotional intelligence a concept I work a lot on with my clients and where you see immediate positive impact at work and at home. The self-awareness journey is maybe the most crucial part to start with and although we are working on strengths and positive change, clients need to be ready and willing to look at themselves in the mirror and see some ugly stuff. Here indeed, I do use tools like DiSC (William Moulton Marston’s preferred behavior model), Johari Window, Positive Intelligence, Core beliefs inventory, VIA strengths finders, and many more.
Another element is systems, I often invite my clients to draw their systems. Tim Lomas’s Life Model for example explains we have many microsystems, and we happen not to behave the same in each. You have one at home, another with your enlarged family, another with your friends, another at work, at the gym, etc. We look at each, then we look at what happens if these ecosystems cross. Some clients have unconsciously created barriers for the systems not to cross and that can be destructive, emotionally exhausting, and dangerous. Others have no control and no filters sharing everything, everywhere with everyone with complex consequences that go out of hand. There’s a lot more to Lomas’s LIFE model around the body, the mind, ecosystems, and macrosystems that can help the client to understand their current life and become accountable for change.
Finally, I have created a mindfulness exercise helping clients to instore a simple emotional goal-setting routine. In a few words:
How do you feel right now? Tired, bored, curious, excited, etc...? Let’s STOP for a moment. SSSTOPPP or:
Stand Up, Shake Your Body, Sit Down, Take a breath, Observe your breath, the room, your hands, listen.
Plan: How do you wish to feel in the next meeting? The same, not the same?
Prepare: What needs to happen for you to feel like you wish to feel? Have a cup of tea, take a break, get some data, etc.
Proceed: with the preparation and with the task.
Pulse: Take the pulse of your performance and be benevolent and demanding with yourself.
START to STOP whenever you wish to move from autopilot, to move from having the mind full to being mindful!
What are some examples of the tailor-made solutions you offer to individuals seeking personal and professional growth?
As seen above all our solutions are tailor-made. We will question the client and identify the pain point. Then together we will build the solution thanks to our mutual knowledge and experience. In the case of individual or team coaching it takes in general 3 sessions to identify the real need, issue, or objective.
Could you discuss the significance of your background in positive psychology and coaching psychology in shaping your coaching and mentoring approach?
I went into the MSc as I was uncomfortable in delivering training and coaching with the ‘manuals’ and ‘internal’ training I had received. I have a need for evidence-based practice. During my studies, I realized I had been applying techniques and tools without necessarily knowing they came from this field. That was reassuring. Coaching and Training is a job with extreme responsibility. In training people listen to you and learn from you, you guide them. It is not enough to know your subject; in my opinion, you need to know how people function to ensure ethical and efficient delivery.
In coaching, you need first to verify if the client is coaching-ready and free of any symptoms of mental illness. To do so you need psychological background. It’s a tricky area as coaching is an unregulated profession and it is easier to say I have an appointment with my coach rather than with my therapist. I would lie to you if I would say I did not realize during my MSc studies that I had made some mistakes in my practice before. This has created an important interest in ethics and good practice for me as a mentor and coach and as a professional in general.
You´re covering a wide range of subjects in your sessions, workshops, and conferences. Could you provide some insights into the topics you find particularly impactful and relevant in today´s professional landscape?
If you have a close look, my topics are all related. Behind performance, there’s behavior, and behind the behavior, there’s DNA, environment, education, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social influence. The titles of my topics are at the top of the iceberg. My expertise is in the deepest layers. Working with my clients on these deep unknown or neglected areas will impact their own, their teams, or their whole organization´s behavior and improved performance will be the positive consequences.
What are some key findings from your research, and how do these findings inform your approach to coaching and well-being?
My research on Hospitality Manager´s well-being in 2019 shared frightening levels of emotional exhaustion among managers who were still at work. My update in 2022 gave the same results. Unfortunately, I had predicted these results and as this field is under-researched, I really wanted to validate (or not) my feeling. This was the genesis of my work with higher education students as my very First Well Being programme was in a Hospitality Management School. Knowing what I knew and having the education and skills I have created within me the obligation to act.
There’s a white paper in the making as the Well-being Project was not conducted in an academic setting. Thus said, our figures showed that the participating students gained 2 points on overall well-being during the first lockdown while students in general were reported to experience increased depression and anxiety. You may see how important it is for me now to reach out to the maximum of students and professionals and tempt to impact their well-being and performance in a positive way. I often share the starfish story. I may not be able to change the world, but I will do my maximum to impact those I touch.
Could you elaborate on your contributions to the ethic guide of the practice of positive psychology? How does ethical consideration play a role in your coaching and mentoring practice?
My contribution was as simple as honorific. I had the opportunity to co-translate the guide from English to French. The translation was verified and validated as receivable to be published in the International Journal of Wellbeing. This guide is reviewed every two years so I suppose I will be reviewing it soon. It has become an integrated tool in my practice and every single coach I work with at Positive Performances signs a chart confirming having thoroughly read it and applying it. I also include the guide as a foundation of my supervision activity along with the EMCC coaching competence framework.
How do you balance your roles as a coach, lecturer, and researcher while ensuring a high level of quality in each domain?
Excellent question. A few years ago, I might have struggled with finding balance; I was often stretching myself too thin. Today, my mantra is “Less is More”. I’ve made a pact with myself that places quality over quantity, ensuring I maintain high standards across all my roles. My ambition is to contribute to creating a world where people thrive, where professionals are distinguished by their excellence, and where organizations achieve exceptional levels of performance. I am driven by the UNSG 3, 4 and 8. If what I am about to undertake is not fitting ALL three of the following, I don’t do it.
1. 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
2. 4. Quality Education
3. 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
Looking ahead, how do you envision the evolution of Positive Performances? Are there any new directions, services, or areas of focus that you´re planning to explore in the near future?
As shared previously I am on a mission. It embraces a spectrum from positive higher education to performing organizations. In strategic management training, the importance of "STAYING WITH THE PROBLEM" is stressed. Albert Einstein said: "If I have 60 minutes to solve a problem, I devote 55 minutes to analysis and preparation, then 5 minutes to action. You could say that I didn´t overlook the importance of staying with the problem...
In 2020, I founded Positive Performances with the vision of driving change in the field of leadership development. Thanks to my 25 years of varied experience in multiple positions, more than 4000 hours of coaching under my belt, 7 years in higher education, and the last 5 years of research in performance and multidimensional well-being, I assembled the key pieces of a puzzle. This allowed me to create a unique mental fitness program, which has an immediate impact on the performance and well-being of participants, and therefore, on the performance of organizations.
Positive Performances is the platform and the virtuous circle through which I will act. I continue to support leaders as a mentor and coach, both myself and in collaboration with my coaching associates. This immersion allows me to stay connected to reality on the ground and to develop concrete programs. I also pursue leadership training, both on my own and with my associates. My commitment to higher education persists, supporting young people in the development of their leadership, critical thinking (through academic research), and project management. I will draw on my practical experience with leaders to enrich this learning process and to understand the aspirations of the next generation.
In the fall of 2023, I will publish a white paper on the Ferrières Wellness Project, in place since 2019.
I also started a doctorate in strategic management and leadership in the fall of 2023. My research encompasses:
The state of individual fulfillment within the creation of the "Thriving by Positive Performance" observatory.
The notion of a fulfilling workplace is through the concept of the "Thriving Workplace".
The impact of an educational and well-being training program, both in higher education and within organizations, through the experimental "Thrive to Perform & Perform to Thrive" program.
My commitment to writing for Forbes, Brainz, and other outlets continues. I continue to host talks and moderate debates to raise awareness of the importance of viewing life as a garden requiring constant attention and intentional and strategic 360° maintenance. My commitment to this mission only grows, driven by unwavering determination and a desire to create a lasting impact.
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