Leaders
Before: The session ends, and nothing changes.
Small lever. Big turn.
Leadership and team development grounded in systems thinking and behavioral science. For CHROs, heads of talent, and leadership teams at large enterprises, growing companies, public agencies, and nonprofits.
You're steering the business. I help you find the lever that turns it.
Built with your team, not handed to them.
The pressure
Why now
Everything is moving faster.
AI, reorgs, shifting teams, and tighter budgets all land on your leaders first. Most talent development wasn't built for this pace, and a lot of leaders are figuring it out on their own.
Usually what's needed is a smaller fix in the right place.
What I work on
Three practices, one focus.
I focus on talent and leadership development. Your HR team handles the rest, and I work in close partnership with them.
See all servicesThe idea behind the name
Why trim tab? A trim tab is a small flap on the back edge of a ship's rudder. Moving it takes very little effort, but it swings the rudder, and the rudder turns the ship.
Organizations work the same way. When one leadership team changes how it makes decisions, gives feedback, or handles conflict, that change spreads into the culture and the results. My job is to help you find that tab and move it.
Outcomes
What clients notice
What changes
The work is done when people act differently, not when the session ends.
Teams
Before: Decisions stall, and conflict goes quiet.
Teams make decisions faster and handle disagreement better.
Talent
Before: Reviews happen, and nobody acts on them.
Talent reviews lead to action.
Results
Before: Nobody can say what the budget did.
You can show your executive team what the investment did.
What clients say
Working with Jana Stone on designing and delivering leadership programs is both a fun and highly engaging process. Jana is one of the most creative learning and development leaders that I have worked with for over 20 years. I appreciate her ability to truly understand the needs of the participants and create impactful, creative solutions to drive business results. I would highly recommend working with Jana if you have the opportunity.
Jana takes a strategic, human-centered approach to global leadership development. She naturally builds trusted relationships, drives real innovation in the L&D space, and pairs creativity with operational discipline. She has a collaborative, diplomatic style that inspires confidence and gets results all while working with integrity, ease, and humor.
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How we work together
Compare the optionsChoose the setup that fits how much help you need. We'll work out the details on the intro call.
Project
Start to finish
One clear goal, with a start and a finish.
Good fit if
You know what needs to change and want it done well.
Fractional
Set days each month
A senior talent lead, without the full-time hire.
Good fit if
You've outgrown ad hoc development but aren't ready for a full-time hire, or your talent lead has left and you need someone senior now.
Advisory
Regular one-on-ones
A thinking partner outside the system.
Good fit if
You want an experienced outside view, but you don't need a full project.
About
Portland, Oregon
Hi, I'm Jana.
I help leaders change how they lead, and build the talent systems that make it stick.
I've done this inside some well-known companies. At Zendesk, I built the executive talent pipeline and succession framework, along with the data to track results. At HP, I ran the global executive development portfolio team and launched the Future Ready Leadership program for C-suite successors.
I've also done it in the public sector, where budgets are tight and the stakes are public. I built coalitions and leadership capacity for Sonoma County, led innovation and design thinking work for Multnomah County, and built networks for the State of California.
Along the way, I partnered with the Stanford d.school on HP's Building Innovative Leaders program, ran co-creation sessions with clients at IBM, and earned MIT Sloan's AI for Business Strategy credential.
One workshop rarely changes anything. Change sticks when someone finds the right lever and keeps working it: building habits, adjusting the systems around people, and watching the results.
Where I've done this work
- ZendeskBuilt the executive talent pipeline and succession framework
- HPRan global executive development, launched Future Ready Leadership
- Stanford d.schoolPartnered on HP's Building Innovative Leaders program
- IBMRan co-creation sessions with clients
- MIT SloanAI for Business Strategy credential
- Public sectorSonoma County, Multnomah County, State of California
Let's talk
Free 30-minute intro call
Tell me where you're stuck.
In 30 minutes we'll figure out whether there's a lever worth pulling.
Or email
jana@trimtableaders.com