Hi! Hola! Hallo! I’m Jonathan Stephens.
I’m a neurodivergent design & tech leader, strategist, facilitator, manager, speaker, coach, consultant, and entrepreneur dedicated to building a more accessible, equitable, and sustainable web. I co-founded Poet & Scribe, a coaching & consulting company.
I've been crafting websites & products for over 15 years, from small businesses to global, industry-leading companies. After 10 years of living & working in Amsterdam, I'm now based in Raleigh, North Carolina with my partner—Sandra; and border collie, Freyja.
I sometimes write on my blog, Medium, or LinkedIn. I'm a travel & nature photographer and sell my photos, and I read & catalog books read.
Expertise
Where I Thrive
I thrive when developing people, improving processes, and delivering quality products through iterative creativity. With empathy and integrity, I nurture & support teams, recognizing their skills, while striving to lead by example. By choosing compassion over apathy and collaboration over rank, we make things better, together.
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People
Connecting people & fostering community is a consistent theme throughout my professional practice. My leadership style is grounded in collaboration, guidance, and empowerment. I reflect on myself, ask questions, and facilitate connections to unlock people's creativity. The world needs more generous, empathetic leaders who lead not by force but by unlocking the potential in their people.
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Processes
Defining collaborative processes that empower teams is essential to my work. This includes mapping workflows, facilitating effective meetings, setting priorities, and simplifying data so we make informed decisions. My leadership is based on respect, active listening, and embracing diverse perspectives. I lead by connecting people's strengths to organizing effectively around tasks.
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Product
While people and process are crucial, we ultimately come together to make something. Whether an organization, product, experience, feature, or content: we unite to make & multiply our efforts. Alone we are limited, together we can make something greater and more impactful. My role is to facilitate this creation, through: removing obstacles, creating accountability, and enabling people. I take individual "ingredients" and multiply them into accessible, innovative products that deliver value. When people collaborate, we can create & improve things one step at a time.
Purpose
What Guides Me
My professional career centers bringing people together to create momentum for change. I build inclusive, curiosity-driven organizations, rooted in design thinking to shape vision & strategy. These principles act as my flywheel, generating energy for collective growth.
My goal is doing things differently to create positive impact and value. By uniting complementary skills I aim to catalyze transformative change through creative collaboration.
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1
Diversity & Inclusion
I actively cultivate diversity and inclusion, seeking out varied perspectives to enrich our work. I see human differences as creative resources. By embracing diverse voices at all levels we make the world better.
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2
Openness & Transparency
I lead with openness, honestly sharing knowledge, and transparent decision making. Through clear communication and stakeholder input, we collectively fill gaps in perspective. By admitting & learning from failures, celebrating successes, and staying accessible, we make better choices, together.
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3
Trust & Kindness
I cultivate trust and kindness, fostering psychological safety where people feel welcomed to innovate. With empathy as our foundation and human stories at our core, we hold each other accountable with care. By leading blame-free and understanding different journeys, we build a more ethical future together.
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4
Curiosity & Collaboration
Through fostering curiosity and collaboration, we spark innovation. Seeking diverse views creates possibilities. There is always more to learn when we work together. Our shared purpose leads to better outcomes than going alone; we collaborate to build a better future.
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5
Growth & Sustainability
I believe in sustainable growth—professionally, personally, organizationally, and environmentally. Through continuous learning and development, I work to support present & future generations. My work considers economic, social, and environmental impacts. Sustainable growth enables long-term flourishing.
Approach
Working together
The what of my job varies, but the how remains constant. Regardless of the role or task, I aim to lead inclusively, listen deeply, and organize collaboratively. I look forward to discovering how we might partner to drive impact.
Connecting people's strengths, filling gaps to multiply efforts towards shared goals.
Building inclusive, collaborative teams to spark innovation and create value.
Nurturing talent, guiding people to grow, and develop new skills.
Facilitating process and culture by fostering trust, empathy, and belonging.
Balancing strategic thinking with focused execution for sustainable results.
Driving change through curiosity, actively listening, and embracing diverse views.
Organizing & communicating clearly, simplifying complex problems into do-able tasks.
Tracking progress with data, pivoting strategies based on insights and feedback.
Leading by empowering others, promoting creativity & removing obstacles.
Contact
Network; Meet; Write
I'm actively open to new opportunities & collaborations that align with my background, values, and principles.
Apart from employment, I'm also available to:
- help your team, company, or organization as you try something different;
- serve as an advisor, mentor, coach, consultant, and/or fractional support;
- speak at events, on your podcast, or with your team;
- create practical leadership & strategy workshops;
- contribute to publications through articles, columns, and essays; and/or,
- I'm always excited to meet new people, learn about you, and see how I can help, support, or collaborate!
Check out my work history Connect on LinkedIn
Schedule time with me Book on Calendly
Write to me Send a Typeform