John Stepper 3/25/25 John Stepper 3/25/25

More good days

In their first meeting, we ask them to remember a good day they had at work. The kind of day you’re eager to talk about when you get home. The kind of day where you feel alive at work.

“Your goal in this program,” we tell them, “is to have more days like that.”

John Stepper 3/14/25 John Stepper 3/14/25

Five new WOL programs

“Working Out Loud” has evolved. The original method is still networking and visibility. And new methods apply to doing all sorts of work (inner work, team work, collaboration, leadership) “out loud”—together with other people in a trusted peer Circle.

These five new methods—and more to come—are designed to strengthen feelings of self-efficacy and connection.

John Stepper 3/12/25 John Stepper 3/12/25

The Working Out Loud Goal Clinic (Part 2 of 2)

The goal clinic helps you choose your goal in a WOL Circle and see how the method can bring your goal to life.

A previous post described how Weeks 1 to 6 help with a specific goal.

In this post, I’ll share what happens in Weeks 7 to 12 and what happens in the rest of the clinic.

John Stepper 3/4/25 John Stepper 3/4/25

The Working Out Loud Goal Clinic (Part 1 of 2)

In the original WOL method, you choose a goal in Week 1 and, step by step over 12 weeks, you make progress towards your goal as you build relationships and practical skills.

For some, though, choosing a goal isn’t easy. So I’ve started to run a “goal clinic” to help.

Here’s how it works.

John Stepper 10/8/24 John Stepper 10/8/24

A new WOL approach: Co-creating methods

Companies, Non-profits, Veterans Groups, Families, Universities.

This is some of the most interesting work I’ve done since the early days of Working Out Loud.

We now offer three levels of co-creating new WOL methods. Collaboration with such a wide array of passionate people and organizations has led to a greater sense of mission for WOL and created new opportunities for making a positive difference.

John Stepper 10/2/24 John Stepper 10/2/24

#ICelebrateYou : Bettina Jung and Constanze Zeller

WOL Healthcare would not exist without them. And even as we continue to improve that method we have come to experiment and collaborate on new ideas as well.

I am proud to call them my partners and my friends.

John Stepper 10/1/24 John Stepper 10/1/24

New resources and new training for WOL Mentors

New resources help WOL Mentors spread the mindset of connection and generosity to a wider audience than ever before.

John Stepper 9/26/24 John Stepper 9/26/24

“Pushing back the dark”

Why do good people in challenging environments still try, against all odds, to make a positive difference?

John Stepper 9/16/24 John Stepper 9/16/24

Transforming Risks into Opportunities: Enabling Employees to Drive Change

Are external change drivers a threat or an opportunity for your company and its employees? Who is involved in making a positive difference?

This article describes how social learning programs can transform passive awareness into active contribution.

By enabling employees to discover their personal connection to the company’s goals, companies can foster higher engagement and a greater sense of belonging while cultivating additional sources of innovation and organizational resilience.

John Stepper 9/10/24 John Stepper 9/10/24

“Upholstery on the subway seats”

"The way things are" isn't the way things have to be. Crafting intentional shared social norms can make work and life better for your team and family, or even your community or country.

John Stepper 9/4/24 John Stepper 9/4/24

#ICelebrateYou : Julia Weber

The first Wednesday of every month is #ICelebrateYou day, where we show appreciation to those who have made a positive difference in our live.

This month I celebrate Julia Weber, whose support and kindness provided for beautiful memories I still carry with me.

John Stepper 7/3/24 John Stepper 7/3/24

#ICelebrateYou : Sabine Kluge

The first Wednesday of every month is #ICelebrateYou day, where we show appreciation to those who have made a positive difference in our live.

This month I celebrate Sabine Kluge, whose intelligence, creativity, and grace have long inspired me and continue to do so.

John Stepper 6/9/24 John Stepper 6/9/24

The poet and the industrialist

Enabling employees at all levels to make the most of all they have to offer.

A romantic idea? Outdated? Or needed now more than ever?

John Stepper 6/5/24 John Stepper 6/5/24

#ICelebrateYou : Michael Trautmann

The first Wednesday of every month is #ICelebrateYou day, where we show appreciation to those who have made a positive difference in our live.

This month I celebrate Michael Trautmann, whose generosity and helpfulness, dazzling creativity and capability, vulnerability and authenticity all make me proud to call him my friend.

John Stepper 6/3/24 John Stepper 6/3/24

An extraordinary experiment in Iowa

Can you equip everyday people to thrive, even amidst challenging circumstances? Can you do it without condescension but with celebration?

This program run by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach aims to find out.

John Stepper 5/12/24 John Stepper 5/12/24

WOL for Education: An Update

More than a dozen universities have used the original Working Out Loud method. Based on these experiences, we now have a much clearer sense of what students need and how a new WOL method can help.

John Stepper 5/9/24 John Stepper 5/9/24

In praise of strong women

Yesterday was the closing event for the latest #FrauenStärken (“strengthening women”) program. More than 6000 people participated in this program over the years, and they have shown me that strength comes in many guises.