Working Out Loud: A 12-Week Method to Build New Connections, a Better Career, and a More Fulfilling Life

A lot of organizations talk about transparency and collaboration, but fail to get past the, "That is the way we've always done things," mindset. John Stepper lays out simple steps you can do to start changing your organization from the inside by tapping into the need we all have for community.As a long-time reader of his blog, the things Stepper writes about have helped me considerably in my career, but don't be fooled; this isn't another dry, business book. Stepper writes with such honesty and artistry that his work is just plain fun to read.If you want to improve your career (and indeed life), buy this book and take it to heart!

Great book. John Stepper has managed to combine inspirational anecdotes with practical guidance. I have recommended that each of my 'circle' members get the book so they can feel just as inspired. You can definitely participate in a WOL circle without it thanks to the generous free guides John shares but reading the book as well really gives you a fuller view of the possibilities out there by connecting with others and sharing generously.

Worthwhile read. The book came as expected, good service.

Great book, and very excited to be using the learning from this book. It is a great way to get move involved in your job, and get more out of it.

Working Out Loud is a field guide to improve how you work and live.As John explains, WOL is more than just letting everyone know what you are doing today. Rather, you learn how to tap into the power of being authentic and transparent through the gifts of generosity, and even vulnerability.Whether you are unhappy in your current role or are just hungry to get more out of your career and life, WOL has some of the secret sauce to help you on your journey.

Great book!

I joined a Working Out Loud circle that followed this book and it helped me propel my small business idea into a successful, profitable and continuously growing venture. It gave me the confidence and the real world skills to make my work visible, to make generous contributions to contacts that matter to me, and it helped me grow my network in a real and genuine way that felt comfortable and empowering. I am so grateful for this book and even though I have a digital copy I am purchasing a paper copy because I plan to underline and tag pages and refer to it again and again and again. It's also the best gift to give someone who's looking to take an idea or a dream and turn it into a reality, or to take your current job to the next level.

In his book “Working Out Loud” John Stepper explains why we should make our work visible beyond perhaps our immediate management structure, to not only provide career insurance, but also to give others the opportunity to view your work and build on it.He then goes on to show you a structured way of approaching the Working Out Loud methodology through examples and exercises throughout the book.John has shown his own generosity by giving out pdf copies of the book in progress to any of us who asked and then solicited our feedback to improve his own work. He sets the example of how to "work out loud".For me being in a WoL circle has created a place to explore and get feedback on ideas and to also help others with their dreams.Get this book if you are interested in ways to improve and show your work and to create purposeful networks by sharing what you are doing in an open and generous way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the story (so far) of Working Out Loud.In essence the concept of ‘Working out Loud’ is that it does not ask/direct you to change anything about the core of what you are doing, whether that be work, hobbies, life in general and in fact doesn’t question at all what you may be doing now.Rather in addition to what you are doing, share the presence and progress of that with others, but do so expecting nothing (not even a comment) in return.This is where I found it differs from so many other books availableFrom doing that, unknown and exciting opportunities can arise. The book does not say what these will be - who knows, but does share the stories of a number of people and where they have ended up. The opportunities that arise will be unexpected and whatever they may be for you, allow you to choose the next step to take.From small things big things can growIt does lean on the digital tools and sharing/contributing via internet mediums such as twitter, blogs, email and the like, but rest assured it’s not the core of what the book is about. He does frame this with the statement ‘Think Dale Carnegie meets the internet (Dale Carnegie being the author of the seminal How to win Friends and influence people first published in 1936).That is not to forget the personal human interaction which of course is stated, but the simplicity of sharing / contributing electronically is a great leverage mechanism to share.As well as referencing other works that shaped his thinking throughout, he includes a separate appendix listing the books and in what areas they. This I found helpful.Thankfully it is NOT a book about how to 'network'. That term has that connotation you are forcing yourself to connect with people in the hope/want of something later in return for yourself (a job, a sale or whatever). (The athor also shares his pain, which many can relate to, about 'networking')Again the crux here, and I’m still getting myself around clearing my own head is that sharing, or as described in the book ‘leading with generosity’ is putting it out there with no expectationsIt details a 12 week program to build your mastery in Working out Laud. What I like about the approach through the book is the mini exercises that, as he states, take 1 or 5 minutes (they really do). But also where the core section of the book deals with this program, he first advises to read it straight through then afterwards find a friend/mentor to work through the exercises together. A simple piece of advice that guides you into the journey the best way possible.The sub title of the book, ‘For a better career and life’ I don’t really like too much. It is too general and could be associated with any similar self-help type of book, but it could be that he wants to the focus on the core ‘Working out Loud’ and for that to pique curiosity?Neither am I drawn to the final more detailed definition the author provides for the concept. He does share the evolution of the concept and of course his description, with a his final given on p31.I internalise my own definition which is a cross between that one and one of his earlier attempts. I guess I’m looking for something more succinct and direct that makes it stand out. Not easy I know.But that takes nothing at all away from the content of the book or how it is presented.The final thing I take away from this book is that it is a journey, but not one just for yourself, one that the author has shared from its beginnings and how it is still a work in progress itself. You can really be a part of that journey

Some really great tips for work and indeed approaching life! John is an inspiration speaker and this book really does deliver a framework for making a difference

Unternehmen wie Siemens und Continental arbeiten bereits erfolgreich mit der neuen Methode. Bei BMW und Bosch wurde „Working out loud“ teilweise in die tägliche Arbeitsroutine integriert. Im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung verspricht dieses neue Verfahren eine Zusammenarbeit über Bereichs- und Unternehmensgrenzen hinweg zu ermöglichen und den schnellen Austausch von Wissen sowie den Zugang zu Institutionen und Personen, zu denen man bisher keinen Kontakt hatte, zu fördern.Im Buch beschreibt John Stepper auf über 300 Seiten die dafür hilfreiche Haltung und Methode. Es ist sehr biographisch aufgebaut, mit all dem für und wider, das Berichte aus dem eigenen Lebend eben mit sich bringen: teils langatmig, teils aber auch interessant, um die Hintergründe zu verstehen.Theoretisch lehnt er sich stark an Dale Carnegie und dessen Lebensphilosophie an. Wer Carnegie schätzt, wird hier sicherlich vieles wiederfinden, übertragen auf das digitale Zeitalter. Wer allerdings gut auf die damit einhergehende Ratgeberphilosophie verzichten kann, findet sehr viel Redundanz, was in unzähligen Lebensratgebern zuvor auch schon erschienen ist. Damit bin ich beim größten Kritikpunkt: Die Konzentration auf das Wesentliche ist nicht wirklich gelungen. Man hätte das Ganze auf gut 100 Seiten verkürzen könnten, ohne etwas an Inhalt zu verlieren.Das wirklich Neue, und dafür gebührt dem Autor der allergrößte Respekt, ist letztlich die Methode, mit der es jedem Einzelnen ermöglicht ist, sich auf die eigenen, persönlichen Ziele zu konzentrieren und durch den Aufbau von ebenfalls am Thema interessierten Menschen zusammen zu kommen. Stepper hat dazu ein 12-Wochen-Programm aufgebaut, das durchaus sinnvoll und umsetzbar ist. Haltung und Methode passen wunderbar zum aktuellen, „agilen“ Zeitgeist. Und es gehört sicherlich Innovationskraft dazu, etwas ins Leben zu rufen, dass auch bei großen, internationalen Konzernen Resonanz findet.Wer es etwas kompakter mag und mit der gängigen Ratgeberliteratur vllt schon vertraut ist, der kann getrost die ersten hundert Seiten überspringen und direkt im Part 3 einsteigen, in welchem das 12-Wochen-Programm ausgefaltet wird.

I liked it a lot

Mit meinem Hintergrund Wissensmanagement kommen mir viele Dinge bekannt vor - in gewisser Weise Wissensmanagement 2.0. Toll Anregungen - auch wenn ich am Ende der Kapitel nicht immer alles durchgearbeitet habe, sondern eher als Anregungen gesehen habe, die im Hinterkopf schlummern.