A new WOL approach: Co-creating methods
John Stepper John Stepper

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. 

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#ICelebrateYou : Bettina Jung and Constanze Zeller
John Stepper John Stepper

#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.

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Transforming Risks into Opportunities: Enabling Employees to Drive Change
John Stepper John Stepper

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.

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“Upholstery on the subway seats”
John Stepper John Stepper

“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.

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#ICelebrateYou : Julia Weber
John Stepper John Stepper

#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.

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#ICelebrateYou : Sabine Kluge
John Stepper John Stepper

#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.

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The poet and the industrialist
John Stepper John Stepper

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?

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#ICelebrateYou : Michael Trautmann
John Stepper John Stepper

#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.

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An extraordinary experiment in Iowa 
John Stepper John Stepper

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.

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WOL for Education: An Update
John Stepper John Stepper

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.

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In praise of strong women
John Stepper John Stepper

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.

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#ICelebrateYou - Mara Tolja
John Stepper John Stepper

#ICelebrateYou - Mara Tolja

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 Mara Tolja, one of the kindest, most generous, lovely human beings I know. ❤️

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Bias in the blink of an eye
John Stepper John Stepper

Bias in the blink of an eye

“Depressing.” “Hopeless.” “A disaster.”

This is how Prof. Robert Sapolsky describes research showing we’re hardwired to identify someone as Us or Them based on race.

So what can we do?

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Pulling your own weight
John Stepper John Stepper

Pulling your own weight

It’s easy for organizations to split into factions, for cultures to develop where it feels like “every man for himself.” But with the right kinds of interventions and interactions, we can create workplaces that are more collaborative and compassionate, that make the most of what each person has to offer.

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The Festival in the Forest
John Stepper John Stepper

The Festival in the Forest

So we made a kind of pact. “Let’s remember this moment,” we said, “if ever we have a disagreement or difficulty.”

Just knowing it was there was enough.

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“Combat pay”
John Stepper John Stepper

“Combat pay”

How much of what we count as work today is producing real value, and how much is simply navigating a “designated hazard zone” so you can survive to fight another day?

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