Krumma Jonsdottir
Management Mentor and Executive Coach,
Speaker and Higher Education Presenter,
Passionate about humans and their capacity for (re)building themselves.
With over 25 years of experience in international hospitality, training, and mentoring, Krumma excels as a leader and coach. Her commitment is centered around enhancing team dynamics, organizational performance, multidimensional well-being, and individual and collective growth.
Hailing from Iceland and based in Paris, she has worked extensively across Europe and the United States.
Krumma seamlessly integrates positive psychology into both her personal and professional spheres. Her innate optimism, exceptional problem-solving skills, and core strengths—such as a Hunger for Learning, Fairness, and Energy—contribute to her effectiveness.
As a coach, Krumma adapts her methodology to meet the distinct needs of each client. Her extensive academic knowledge, solid experience, and honed tools aim to:
- Cultivate self-awareness, discover one's purpose, values, and strengths, while empowering individuals for personal and professional fulfillment.
- Work on one or several specific personal or professional goals with immediate and lasting impact.
Krumma's clientele spans a diverse range of ages and professions, encompassing graduate students to CEOs. Presently, she is deeply involved in a significant project connecting higher education with organizations. The 'Thrive to Perform & Perform to Thrive' mental strengthening program focuses on developing emotional intelligence, resilience, and psychological capital, resulting in immediate improvements in well-being and performance.
From an academic perspective, Krumma has embarked on her doctoral journey in Leadership and Strategic Management. She also holds a Master's degree in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, in addition to a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management. Furthermore, she has acquired various professional certifications, including Extended DiSC, Mindfulness Instructor, PQ Positive Intelligence, Life Coaching, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Practitioner.
Krumma is recognized as a Senior Practitioner certified by the EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council) and has been actively engaged as a global research volunteer within the EMCC since 2022.
"Genesis: A New Adventure"
It seems to me that I stand on the threshold of my fourth life, and that the first three were nothing but preparation.
1. 360° Well-being Exploration through Gymnastics
It is often said that a child's energy is boundless, and I seemed to embody this saying. My father took the initiative to enroll me in gymnastics classes in my hometown, Gardabaer, and even begged the coaches to keep me until my energy was completely drained. And so began my journey into the world of gymnastics, a journey that lasted until I was 22 years old.
While natural talent may not have been overflowing, it quickly became evident that I was persistent and determined. I approached every task with unwavering resolve, refusing to give up until I had mastered every detail.
This journey through gymnastics provided me with a unique perspective on multidimensional 360° well-being. To excel in this field, one had to balance:
- Optimal physical condition, requiring rigorous discipline in terms of diet and sleep.
- Mastery of high-level technical skills.
- Forging unwavering mental resilience.
- Intense focus and attentive listening to absorb every instruction and avoid injuries, both for myself and others.
- Enriching social relationships that served as sources of relaxation, mutual support, and encouragement.
- Meticulous guidance orchestrated by a diverse team ranging from coaches to physiotherapists, managers, starters, and substitutes.
Although I never clinched major titles, except for a title as a Team Champion in Iceland, my place often hovered around third or fourth. However, moments of disappointment were overshadowed by a sincere respect for those who shone brighter on that day or in a specific area. A unique sense of pride emanated from the feeling of belonging to a group and a team, united in the effort to achieve tangible results while looking out for one another.
Even to this day, I can't help but say that the years spent in the world of gymnastics were among the most enriching of my life. The lessons I learned there have shaped my personality and the way I approach life.
As for the reason why I ended this experience, it's part of another story meant to be told another time ;)
2. International hospitality, passion, enthusiasts, and the constant quest...
In 1995, I arrived in France with a backpack and a rather mediocre phonetic French (let's not even mention my southern French accent...). I quickly landed my first job at Disney and went on to work in international hospitality for over 20 years.
This new world proved to be fascinating, filled with passionate people. I was both impressed and in awe of the courage exhibited by most of my colleagues, managers, and directors. Anecdotes were plentiful, and the majority of them showcased acts of humility, service, sacrifice, and always the value of hard work.
However, I didn't immediately realize the full extent of the situation and dove headfirst into this world. At that time, what defined this environment was that no one, really no one, took care of themselves...
Diet, sleep, stress, discomfort, fatigue, motivation—all of these were rarely discussed. The well-known mantras "Smile, you're on stage" and "Happy Guest" were all that mattered.
They say that nature always comes back galloping.
In my early days as a manager, without any guidance, my inherent traits of determination and perseverance awakened to compete with those I considered experts in the field. The complete lack of training in the hotel industry sent me on a frantic race to acquire every possible skill in hotel management.
From 1995 to 2016, I held 21 positions in various departments: reception, reservations, yield management, marketing, public relations, sales, groups and banquets, quality, training, and probably some I'm forgetting. My responsibilities ranged from individual contributions to the executive committee.
Throughout this journey, there was only one time I applied for a position, which was for my final role as a regional training manager in 2013. I was driven by a deep desire to contribute beyond just one hotel and was beginning to realize that perhaps I had a talent.
In 2011, I decided to validate my skills by obtaining a university degree. It was a demanding yet enriching journey, and that's where I awakened. Behind this journey and the titles I was so proud of, there was a common thread: building, composing, training and coaching, uniting, influencing, optimizing, guiding, then starting again (while preserving my energy).
In reality, I was intuitively and unofficially applying the values and discipline that had been dear to me since my gymnast days. Unofficially, because remember, in the world of hospitality, no one is supposed to be tired, neither physically nor mentally...
On February 1, 2013, the day of my degree defense, I began my career as a regional training manager for 654 hotels in Europe ;-) Finally, I could come out and proclaim loudly: "Let's stop fixing, let's start preparing."
3. Higher Education: A Journey into the Unknown
My time as a Regional Training Manager was a cherished chapter, where I felt I modestly contributed to significant change. However, I felt a calling to go further. At the same time, the idea of leaving operations was unthinkable; I needed to be involved, be part of a team, and nourish the six elements I had discovered, like physical and mental well-being, and social relationships, among others.
When the opportunity arose to join a higher education institution, a small part of an extraordinary project, I didn't hesitate for long. Exhausted from suitcases and the aisles of CDG Terminal 2A (right in front of the M&Ms store), I left a golden position to find myself in an unknown school with only 32 students.
In truth, I was just beginning to realize that I was actually in the midst of a journey, an adventure with an unclear destination. I then decided to savor each step of the journey, appreciating both the ambiguous aspects and the exhilarating moments.
This marked the beginning of 7 years of extraordinary learning, surrounded by people who became friends and even family. Together, under the guidance of our president, we built a school that stands out for its ability to prepare young people not only for a career but also for life. Here, I dare to break my rule of not naming companies or colleagues, as this is my contemporary story: I'm speaking of Ferrières.
In 2018, we acquired another school (89, École Supérieure du Numérique), then another in 2022 (ebs Paris). At each step, my loved ones trusted me and followed me in establishing a positive educational philosophy, aimed at training future leaders with the keys to multidimensional well-being.
Alongside this exploration of the academic world, I was able to quench my thirst for knowledge regarding my past experiences by pursuing a dual Master's degree in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, which I obtained in 2019. This step merged intuition and practice with solid scientific foundations.
Every fragment of my journey found its place, and every experience contributed to the person I have become, preparing me for the next phase of my genesis.
4. My Mission: From Positive Higher Education to Positive OrganizationsThe clarity of my mission finally emerged, now encompassing a spectrum from positive higher education to flourishing organizations.
In strategic management training, the importance of "STAYING WITH THE PROBLEM" is emphasized. Albert Einstein said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem, I would spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions." I can say I haven't overlooked the importance of staying with the problem... Just like the previous stages, this one also naturally took shape.
In 2020, I founded Positive Performances with the vision to initiate change in the field of leadership development. Leveraging my 25 years of diverse experience across multiple roles, over 4000 coaching hours, 7 years in higher education, and the past 5 years of research into multidimensional well-being and performance, I pieced together key puzzle pieces. This enabled me to create a unique mental fitness program that has an immediate impact on participants' performance and well-being, and consequently, on organizational performance.
My mission is thus defined, and Positive Performances is the platform and virtuous circle through which I will act.
I continue to mentor and coach leaders, both independently and in collaboration with my coaching partners. This immersion allows me to stay connected to the ground reality and develop tangible programs.
I also persist in training leaders, both on my own and with my coaching partners.
My commitment to higher education persists, guiding young individuals in developing their leadership, critical thinking (through academic research), and project management. I'll draw from my practical experience with leaders to enrich this learning process and understand the aspirations of the upcoming generation.
In the fall of 2023, I will release a white paper on the Ferrières Well-Being Project, initiated in 2019.
I've also begun a Ph.D. in strategic management and leadership in the fall of 2023. My research encompasses:
The state of individual flourishing within the creation of the "Thriving by Positive Performance" observatory.
The concept of a flourishing workplace through the "Thriving Workplace."
The impact of an educational and well-being-focused training project, 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 media outlets continues.
I persist in delivering speeches and moderating discussions to raise awareness about the importance of viewing life as a garden that requires constant attention and intentional, strategic nurturing in all dimensions. My dedication to this mission only grows, driven by unwavering determination and the desire to create lasting impact.
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"I never lose, either I Win or I Learn"
- Nelson Mandela -
