Krumma Jonsdottir
Management Mentor and Executive Coach,
Lecturer and Speaker in higher education,
Passionate about people and their ability to rebuild themselves
With over 25 years’ experience in the international hospitality industry, as well as in training and mentoring, Krumma excels as a leader and coach. Her work focuses on enhancing team dynamics, organisational performance, holistic well-being, and individual and collective growth.
Originally from Iceland and now based in Paris, she has worked extensively in Europe and the United States.
Krumma’s approach seamlessly integrates positive psychology into both her personal and professional lives. Her innate optimism, exceptional problem-solving skills, and her core strengths—a thirst for learning, fairness and energy—contribute to her effectiveness.
As a coach, Krumma tailors his approach to meet the specific needs of each client. His extensive academic knowledge, solid experience and refined tools are designed to:
- To foster self-awareness, helping people discover their purpose, goals, values and strengths, whilst empowering them to achieve personal and professional fulfilment.
- Work on one or more specific personal or professional goals that have an immediate and lasting impact.
Krumma’s client base spans a wide range of ages and professions, from postgraduate students to CEOs. She is currently involved in a major project that links higher education with organisations. The mental resilience programme ‘Thrive to Perform & Perform to Thrive’ focuses on developing emotional intelligence, resilience and psychological capital, leading to immediate improvements in well-being and performance.
From an academic perspective, Krumma has just embarked on her PhD in Leadership and Strategic Management. She also holds a Master’s degree in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, in addition to her Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management. Furthermore, she has obtained various professional certifications, including Extended DiSC, Mindfulness Instructor, PQ Positive Intelligence, Life Coaching and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Practitioner.
Krumma is recognised as a Senior Practitioner certified by the EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council) and has been volunteering as a global research volunteer with the EMCC since 2022.
‘Genesis: A New Adventure’
It seems to me that I am standing on the threshold of my fourth life, and that the first three were nothing more than a preparation.
1. A 360° exploration of well-being through gymnastics
It is often said that a child’s energy is boundless, and it seems I was a living example of that saying. My father took the initiative to enrol me in gymnastics classes in my hometown, Gardabaer, and he even pleaded with the coaches to keep me there until my energy was completely spent. And so began my journey into the world of gymnastics, a journey that lasted until I was 22.
I may not have been brimming with natural talent, but it soon became clear that I was persistent and tenacious. I threw myself into every task with unyielding determination, refusing to give up until I had mastered every detail.
This journey in gymnastics gave me a unique perspective on holistic, 360-degree well-being. To excel in this field, I had to strike a balance between:
- Optimal physical fitness, requiring strict discipline in terms of diet and sleep.
- The acquisition of high-level technical skills.
- The development of unshakeable mental resilience.
- Extreme concentration and attentive listening to take in every instruction and avoid injuries, both to myself and others.
- Enriching social relationships that served as a source of relaxation, mutual support and encouragement.
- Meticulous coaching, orchestrated by a diverse team ranging from coaches to physiotherapists, including managers, first-team players and substitutes.
Although I never won any major titles, apart from an Icelandic team championship, I often came third or fourth. That said, any moments of disappointment were outweighed by a sincere respect for those who shone brighter on that particular day, or in a specific discipline. A special sense of pride came from feeling part of a group and a team, united in the effort to achieve tangible results, whilst looking out for one another.
Even now, I can’t help but say that those years spent in the world of gymnastics were among the most rewarding of my life. The lessons I learnt there have shaped my character and my outlook on life.
As for why I put an end to this experiment, that’s a story for another time ;)
2.The international hospitality industry, passion, enthusiasts and the never-ending quest...
In 1995, I arrived in France with a rucksack and rather poor phonetic French (and let’s not even mention my southern French accent...). I quickly landed my first job at Disney, then spent over 20 years working in the international hospitality industry.
This new world proved to be fascinating, full of passionate people. I was both impressed and in awe of the courage shown by most of my colleagues, managers and directors. There were plenty of stories, and most of them spoke of acts of humility, service, sacrifice, and always the value of hard work.
However, I didn’t immediately realise the scale of the situation and plunged headfirst into this world. At that time, what defined this environment was the fact that nobody, absolutely nobody, looked after themselves...
Diet, sleep, stress, feeling unwell, fatigue, motivation – none of these were ever really discussed. The well-known mantras “Smile, you’re on stage” and “Happy Customer” were the only things that mattered.
They say that nature always comes back with a vengeance.
When I first started out as a manager, with no support whatsoever, my innate determination and perseverance kicked in, allowing me to compete with those I considered experts in the field. The total lack of training in the hospitality sector set me on a frantic race to acquire every possible skill in hotel management.
From 1995 to 2016, I held 21 positions across various departments: reception, reservations, yield management, marketing, public relations, sales, groups and banquets, quality, training, and I’m probably forgetting some. My responsibilities ranged from individual contributions right up to the executive committee.
During this time, there was only one occasion when I applied for a job, and that was for my last role as regional training manager in 2013. I was driven by a deep desire to contribute to more than just a single hotel, and I was beginning to realise that perhaps I had a talent.
In 2011, I decided to formalise my skills by obtaining a university degree. It was a demanding but rewarding journey, and that’s when I really came into my own. Behind this journey and the qualifications I was so proud of, there was a common thread: building, creating, training and coaching, uniting, influencing, optimising, supporting, and then starting all over again (all whilst conserving my energy).
In reality, I was intuitively and informally applying the values and discipline that had been dear to me since my days as a gymnast. Informally, because remember, in the hospitality industry, no one is supposed to be tired, either physically or mentally...
On 1 February 2013, the day of my bachelor’s thesis defence, I began my career as regional training manager for 654 hotels across Europe ;-) At last, I could come out and proclaim loud and clear: “Let’s stop fixing things and start preparing.”
3. Higher Education: A Journey into the Unknown
My time as Regional Training Manager was a chapter I cherished, during which I feel I made a modest contribution to significant change. However, I felt a calling to go further. At the same time, the idea of leaving operations was unthinkable to me; I needed to get involved, to be part of a team, and to nurture the six elements I had discovered, such as physical and mental fitness and social relationships, amongst 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 by the luggage and the aisles of Terminal 2A at CDG (right opposite the M&Ms shop), I gave up a dream job to find myself at an unknown school, with just 32 students.
To tell the truth, I was only just beginning to realise that I was actually in the middle of a journey, an adventure whose destination remained unclear. So I decided to savour every stage of the journey, appreciating the ambiguous aspects just as much as the exhilarating moments.
This marked the start of seven extraordinary years of learning, surrounded by people who became friends, and even family. Together, under the leadership of our president, we have built a school that stands out for its ability to prepare young people not only for a career, but also for life. It is here that I dare to break my rule of not naming companies or colleagues, as this is my own personal story: I am, of course, talking about Ferrières.
In 2018, we acquired another school (89, the École Supérieure du Numérique), followed by another in 2022 (ebs Paris). At every stage, my loved ones have placed their trust in me and supported me in establishing a positive educational philosophy, aimed at training future leaders by equipping them with the keys to multidimensional well-being.
Alongside this exploration of the academic world, I was able to satisfy my thirst for knowledge regarding my past experiences by undertaking a dual Master’s degree in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, a qualification I obtained in 2019. This step combined intuition and practice with solid scientific foundations.
Every part of my journey has fallen into place, and every experience has shaped the person I have become, preparing me for the next stage of my development
4. My Mission: From Positive Higher Education to Positive Organisations
The nature of my mission has finally become clear, and it now encompasses a spectrum ranging from positive higher education to thriving organisations.
In strategic management training, the importance of “STICKING WITH THE PROBLEM” is emphasised. Albert Einstein said: “If I have 60 minutes to solve a problem, I spend 55 minutes on analysis and preparation, and 5 minutes on action.” It’s fair to say I haven’t overlooked the importance of staying with the problem… Like the previous steps, this one also took shape naturally.
In 2020, I founded Positive Performances with the aim of driving change in the field of leadership development. Drawing on my 25 years of varied experience in a range of roles, over 4,000 hours of coaching under my belt, seven years in higher education, and the last five years of research into performance and multidimensional wellbeing, I have pieced together the key elements of a puzzle. This has enabled me to create a unique mental fitness programme that has an immediate impact on participants’ performance and well-being, and consequently on organisational performance.
This is how I define my mission, and Positive Performances is the platform and virtuous circle through which I will carry it out.
I continue to support leaders as a mentor and coach, both on my own and in collaboration with my fellow coaches. This hands-on approach allows me to stay connected to the realities on the ground and to develop practical programmes.
I also continue to train leaders, both on my own and with my fellow coaches.
My commitment to higher education remains strong, supporting young people in developing their leadership skills, critical thinking (through academic research) and project management. I will draw on my practical experience with executives to enrich this learning process and to understand the aspirations of the next generation.
In autumn 2023, I will publish a white paper on the Ferrières Wellbeing Project, which has been running since 2019.
I also began a PhD in strategic management and leadership in autumn 2023. My research covers:
- The state of personal fulfilment within the creation of the ‘Thriving by Positive Performance’ observatory.
- The idea of a fulfilling workplace, as embodied by the concept of the ‘Thriving Workplace’.
- The impact of an educational and training initiative focused on well-being, both in higher education and within organisations, through the pilot programme ‘Thrive to Perform & Perform to Thrive’.
My commitment to writing for Forbes, Brainz and other media outlets continues.
I continue to host conferences and moderate debates to raise awareness of the importance of viewing life as a garden requiring constant attention and intentional, strategic, all-round care. My commitment to this mission continues to grow, driven by unwavering determination and a desire to create a lasting impact.
Help us with our research into personal fulfilment and multidimensional well-being! Whether you work in higher education or for a multinational company, your perspective matters: click here
"I never lose, either I Win or I Learn"
- Nelson Mandela -
