Jon Spiesman

One Percent Better Leader

Just like other skills, leadership is something that improves through willingness and consistent practice.  No one becomes a true leader overnight, but working at it consistently and targeting small improvements over time leads to great results!  Are you willing to put the effort in to get 1% better today?  OPBL is dedicated to helping leaders achieve their goals 1% at a time.

Founder and CEO

Tala Peak Leadership, LLC

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast" - Peter Drucker.  I help leaders intentionally build the culture of their organizations and exceed their goals.  Tala Peak Leadership works with leaders to analyze their situation and create a specific plan to shift the culture of the organization and create measurable results.

Managing Owner

Center for Executive Coaching

Certified Executive Coach 

Bayer

Business lead for Integration of Bayer and Monsanto entities, business processes, and ERP systems.  Set up enterprise project governance and project management systems for $200M integration effort.  Identified and recruited talented leadership team.  Drove collaborative teamwork across teams of Monsanto and Bayer experts, senior executive stakeholders, and complex business teams.  Maintained highly engaged teams throughout grueling and intense 2 year project schedule through visible and authentic leadership, fun and engaging team activities, and regular newsletters and town hall style communications.  Project stakeholder management and communications was considered best-in-class internally and was implemented on other enterprise critical projects.  Creatively addressed the challenges that COVID placed on a global project team to achieve an on-time implementation with fully remote teams.

VP, Business Lead US/CA Integration Project

Continuation of Monsanto role through transition to Bayer ownership.  Responsible for customer support and account management, logistics and delivery, and business process support for $8B revenue business.  Lead team of ~500 with $50M direct budget managing ~$200M of Logistics spend.  Leader of cross functional team, each leader with diverse and independent functions and sometimes diverging interests.  This role required a CEO mindset to elevate vision of team success and foster collaborative teamwork.  Consistently maintained highest levels of engagement scores within function/division/region by prioritizing communication, clear goals, employee trust, and celebrating wins.  Success required effective team building, stakeholder management, authentic leadership presence, and high personal accountability and credibility.
Notable Accomplishments in Team Performance and Innovation Leadership:
•	Defined and implemented new business model pilot for outcome-based pricing and direct to farm delivery
•	Implemented Monsanto’s first Digital Transformation of customer experience encompassing B2B strategy, customer portal strategy, digital finance tools, and market funding tools.
•	Implemented TMS system for transportation optimization and shipment visibility – project won global recognition from JDA for customer value creation, completed on-time, and achieved savings goals.
•	Implemented perfect order metric to drive improved customer experience and streamline processes
•	First implementation of Robotic Process Automation – automating ~10,000 process steps in first year.
•	Implemented hub support model across select support functions to enable standardization and efficiency gains of 20% in cost and resourcing

Director, North America Customer Care

Monsanto Company

Responsible for customer support and account management, logistics and delivery, and business process support for $8B revenue business.  Lead team of ~500 with $50M direct budget managing $200M of Logistics spend.  Responsible for customer support and account management, logistics and delivery, and business process support for $8B revenue business.  Lead team of ~500 with $50M direct budget managing ~$200M of Logistics spend.  Leader of cross functional team, each leader with diverse and independent functions and sometimes diverging interests.  This role required a CEO mindset to elevate vision of team success and foster collaborative teamwork.  Consistently maintained highest levels of engagement scores within function/division/region by prioritizing communication, clear goals, employee trust, and celebrating wins.  Success required effective team building, stakeholder management, authentic leadership presence, and high personal accountability and credibility.
Notable Accomplishments in Team Performance and Innovation Leadership:
•	Defined and implemented new business model pilot for outcome-based pricing and direct to farm delivery
•	Implemented Monsanto’s first Digital Transformation of customer experience encompassing B2B strategy, customer portal strategy, digital finance tools, and market funding tools.
•	Implemented TMS system for transportation optimization and shipment visibility – project won global recognition from JDA for customer value creation, completed on-time, and achieved savings goals.
•	Implemented perfect order metric to drive improved customer experience and streamline processes
•	First implementation of Robotic Process Automation – automating ~10,000 process steps in first year.
•	Implemented hub support model across select support functions to enable standardization and efficiency gains of 20% in cost and resourcing

Promoted to Lead cross functional team including Customer support and account management, logistics, demand and distribution planning, and business process support for $6.5B revenue business.  Success in this role required strong partnering and negotiation with sales and marketing functions and functional global leadership.
Notable Accomplishment Areas in Operational Excellence and Innovation Leadership:
•	Led first Monsanto implementation of SFDC – over 1M cases, 36% increased NPS, 49% reduction in resolution time, and 32% improvement in customer effort score.
•	Implemented Monsanto first mobile track and trace and delivery feedback process, enabling real-time feedback on 19,000 deliveries with a satisfaction rating of 99%.
•	Implemented new OTC system to enable movement of $800M brand to agency model.
•	Established dashboards, metrics, and governance processes to drive consistent operational excellence across business lines.  The improved target setting and harmonization between functions delivered $10M in logistics savings, improved OTD, and a 90% variance reduction against quarterly targets.

Director, US Supply Chain

Notable Accomplishments
•	Influenced key decisions makers to change the strategic plan for the 5 year soy crop LRP through creation of a model to help bring visibility to hidden costs and risk associated with the ramping up of new product volumes.
•	Created and implemented novel contingency plans to replace 20% of total supply plan impacted by historic 2012 drought conditions.

Director, North America Soybean Seed Mfg

Notable Accomplishments:
•	Led first Monsanto implementation of new SC model integrating Procurement, Planning, Logistics, and Customer operations into one organization.  
•	Post-centralization of Customer Service function led a full re-evaluation of the function and the OTC processes which led to several impactful initiatives including:  Implementation of a new distribution model in Italy reducing product returns by 50% with an increase in sales, implementation of a front/back office split in Customer Service enabling 50% improvement in efficiency and labor arbitrage of $2.5M USD to East Europe.
•	Designed and implemented a new Procurement model for EMEA, increasing staff H/C from 1 to 45 but reaching breakeven savings 7 months into first year and 2X committed financial contribution over 3 years ($70M USD).
•	Led definition and implementation of first measure of NPS and OTD in EMEA and drove a 10% improvement against baseline in the first year.
•	Oversight of hosted site shutdown and demolition in Antwerp, Belgium including negotiated settlement with asset owners, labor unions, and works councils.

EMEA Supply Chain Director

Manufacturing Business Unit Leader

Monsanto

Production Planning

Area Leader

Site Manager

Freeing Execs to work ON their business instead of IN their business.

You finally have time set for that romantic dinner date with your spouse.  Her favorite location, the smell of butter, garlic, and wine wafting from the kitchen as you imagine a plate of Veal Parmigiano.  The maitre’d seats you and you open the menu as you feel a familiar buzz from your jacket pocket….
Your phone ringing.  It's work…again.

You missed another of your son’s soccer games.  His dejected gaze at his shoes when you explain, it carves at your soul.  That look from your wife….all too familiar.  

You can see that your strategy is outdated, opportunities laying lonely on the table like those magazines articles you keep meaning to read.  

You just need time…you need to get ahead of a few things.  You need freedom to work on your business, not stuck feeling trapped in your business.

You sacrificed much to build your business.  You deserve success….you also deserve to live your life and enjoy what you have built, not be a slave to it.  You can regain your treasured personal time, you can pursue those business opportunities and catalyze the next level of growth.

If you recognize yourself here….there is hope.  You grew your business career one block at a time…the way out of this situation is the same….to grow out of it. 

I use proven coaching frameworks to target measurable improvement areas for your leadership.  True organizational change starts through courageous change with senior leaders like you.  I’m so confident in this process that I offer a results guarantee.  You will see measurable improvement or you don't pay.  What do you have to lose?

Want a leadership master-class? The Johari window is a pretty good candidate.

Leadership is relationship…when relationships and trust are strong, you have a good chance as a leader.

The Johari window is a framework to expand trust and achieve potential.

The “arena” is where you can openly lead….leveraging your strengths and those of others to achieve results.

In the arena - you build trust through competence and leading with humility.

You also build trust through vulnerability - sharing some of the hidden things in the ‘facade’.

What are the things that you lose sleep over? What are you working on to be a better leader?

Vulnerability requires a lot of courage but it brings humanity into the leadership equation.

When you have gained enough trust, you may start to learn about “blindspots”.

In my last post, we talked about blindspots….negative or positive, they represent opportunity.

A workplace with trusted relationships allows for exploration into the “unknown”.

When you are consistently expanding the arena by shrinking the other three quadrants….I would wager your results will be strong.

It may seem oversimplified to think about this with a 2x2 matrix.

But if you really think about it….does leadership need to be more complicated than this?

What is missing for you?

Have you seen or used the Johari window before?

💡Leadership Tips that make you think
🔔 Follow me or connect if you are cheeky

Best sketchnote by Tanmay Vora ✍️ — make sure to give him a follow!

#EncouragingLeaders #JohariWindow #Leadership #Trust #GreatPlaceToWork #LeadershipDevelopment

Singapore Management University

🔴 Capstone Project (Sustainability Reporting)

✅ Review WebSparks' SR 2023 and write 2024 SR according to GRI standards

✅ Detail the Key Performance Highlights & Targets and initiatives for 2024 and highlights targets for 2025; evaluate the sustainability progress and analyse the emission changes for 2024.

✅ Analyse WebSparks' operations and identify its sustainability and climate-related risks & opportunities based on IFRS S1 and S2 standards, focusing on financial implications.

✅ Provide strategies for managing risk and opportunities as well as recommendations.


1️⃣ Sustainable Finance: Exploring green finance, ESG investment strategies, and integrating sustainability into financial decision-making.

2️⃣ ESG Reporting and Disclosure: Understanding and applying global reporting frameworks such as GRI, ISSB, TCFD, GHG Protocol and others to enhance transparency and accountability.

3️⃣ Carbon Footprint and Emissions Management:
Techniques for measuring, managing, and reducing carbon emissions in alignment with climate goals

4️⃣ Circular Economy and Supply Chain Management: Learning sustainable sourcing, waste reduction, and circular business models for supply chain transformation

5️⃣ Risk Management in ESG: Identifying, assessing, and managing risks associated with environmental, social and governance factors

6️⃣ Sustainability Strategy Development: Crafting effective sustainability strategies that align with organizational goals and long term value creation.

7️⃣ Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:
Building skills in engaging stakeholders on sustainability initiatives and communicating ESG goals effectively.

8️⃣ Sustainable Leadership and Change Management: Leading organizational change towards sustainability, driving internal alignment and fostering a sustainability culture.

Graduate | Advanced Certificate in Driving Sustainability for the Future

Asia AI Association

Member

MOZAT PTE LTD

- Overall in charge of the finance division of tech startup
- Directed strategic initiatives and fund raising efforts for startup growth
- Ensured accurate and timely month-end closing and reporting
- Led annual financial audits for all entities, including the China entity
- Managed corporate secretarial matters in compliance with regulations
- Coordinated payroll processing and daily finance operations for efficiency
- Implemented automation measures, leading to a 25% increase in overall productivity and a subsequent decrease in error rates by 15%.

Head of Finance Department

Educator - Accountancy, Finance

Sembcorp Industries Ltd

- Coordinated with big 4 accountancy firms for annual audits
- Managed reporting to SGX listed parent company according to deadlines
- Prepared annual financial statements and orchestrated year-end audits
- Oversaw efficient bank and balance sheet reconciliation, general ledger journals, treasury and cost management processes
- Collaborated with big 4 tax agents for tax return reviews and filings
- Developed and maintained collaborative financial dashboards with FP&A, providing effective management tools for data-driven decision-making.

Finance Manager

CJ Korea Express

- Supervised a high performing team of 6, managing diverse financial functions for a listed Korean logistics MNC and APAC subsidiaries
- Coordinated with external auditors from big 4 accounting firms during annual audits
- Oversaw quarterly IFRS reporting to Korean HQ, meeting stringent deadlines
- Managed AP, AR, bank reconciliations, general ledger journals and consolidations
- Collaborated with big 4 tax agents for income tax compliance
- Developed and maintained collaborative financial dashboards with FP&A, providing effective 
management tools for data-driven decision-making.

NAGASE ASIA PACIFIC

- Oversaw successful SAP implementation and integration, reducing manual entries by 30% and boosting productivity
- Coordinated with external auditors from big 4 accounting firms during annual audits
- Managed quarterly IFRS reporting to Japan HQ, meeting stringent requirements
- Spearheaded preparation of annual financial statements and oversaw year-end audits
- Led the annual forecasting/budgeting process and collaborated closely with big 4 tax agents
- Developed and maintained collaborative financial dashboards with FP&A, providing effective 
management tools for data-driven decision-making.

Assistant Finance Manager

ESG Consultancy | GreenHouse Gas Practitioner | EcoVadis | Head of Finance | ISCA member | ISO 14064/14068/14090 | ex-Sembcorp | Lecturer, Mentor |

With over a decade of experience leading finance and accounting functions - rising from Senior Accountant to Head of Finance - I've built a reputation for driving cost efficiencies, leading digital transformations, and making complex data actionable for decision-makers.

Today, I'm bringing this experience to a cause I'm deeply passionate about: advancing corporate sustainability and ESG reporting that goes beyond compliance - to build trust, transparency, and long term value. 


🔴WHY ESG REPORTING?

✔Because reporting is where strategy meets accountability. 

✔My belief: effective ESG reporting is not just about ticking boxes - it's about influencing change, guiding investments, and aligning business performance with climate and social goals. 

✔That's why I made the shift - leveraging my finance background to help organizations turn ESG data into insights, and insights into impact.


🔴 RECENT HIGHLIGHT : ESG CAPSTONE PROJECT

In a recent capstone project with Singapore Management University (SMU) and SL2 Consulting, I partnered with Websparks Pte Ltd - a firm committed to digital sustainability. 

➡️ Revised the company's 2023 Sustainability Report

➡️ Prepare 2024 Sustainability Report

➡️ Aligned disclosures to GRI disclosures

➡️ Integrated climate-related risks and opportunities per IFRS S1 & S2


🔴 WHAT I BRING TO ESG & SUSTAINABILITY TEAMS

1️⃣ ESG Reporting & Disclosures: 

➡️Gaining practical knowledge in leading sustainability frameworks and standards such as GRI, SASB, ISSB, SDG, TCFD, IFRS and GHG Protocol, enabling transparent, data-driven sustainability reporting. 

2️⃣ Sustainable Finance

➡️Expertise in financial planning & analysis (FP&A), budgeting with a focus on aligning financial performance with sustainability objectives.

3️⃣ Risk & Compliance

➡️Strong background in governance, risk management, and compliance, critical for integrating sustainability into organizational strategies. 

4️⃣ Tools & Systems

➡️ Power BI
➡️Tableau, SAP (FI/CO/MM/SD/PS)
➡️ERP Implementation
➡️ Financial Modeling


🔴 LET's COLLABORATE

I'm seeking to collaborate with forward-looking organizations - those committed to scaling their ESG impact, evolving their sustainability reporting, or aligning governance with climate goals.

If you need someone who speaks both finance and sustainability, I can contribute from day one.

Let's connect and explore how i can support your sustainability journey!

Jeff Loo

Ever catch yourself doing this? 😅


👉 Checking news or emails instead of starting work
👉 Scrolling through Instagram instead of tackling tough problems
👉 Feeling busy, but somehow not getting much done


When big tasks loom — like writing a paper, preparing a presentation, or starting a project — that sense of “where do I even begin?” can be paralyzing.


So we distract ourselves with “comfort activities.”
They feel productive, but they keep us from what really matters.


Been there, done that. Happens to me all the time. 😂


But here’s the thing: ignoring our responsibilities doesn’t make them go away — they only pile up.


If you ever feel overwhelmed or find it hard to focus, try this simple (and century-old) productivity method that actually works 👇

1️⃣ At the end of each workday, write down the six most important tasks for tomorrow. (Only six!)
2️⃣ Rank them by true importance.
3️⃣ Start your day with the first task — and don’t move on until it’s done.
4️⃣ Continue down the list.
5️⃣ Move unfinished tasks to a new list for the next day.
6️⃣ Repeat daily.


Do this for three months — and watch your focus and output transform. 🚀


I’ve been practicing it myself lately, and honestly, it’s been working wonders.


#Productivity #Focus #PersonalDevelopment #MindsetMatters #WorkSmarter #GrowthJourney


I'm Jeff Loo, driven by a passion for sustainability, I help organizations advance their ESG goals through robust sustainability reporting, greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and EcoVadis assessments.

If you are passionate about sustainability or navigating your ESG journey, let's connect over coffee - I'd love to exchange ideas and experiences. 


🔴 Have you tried this before, or do you have your own productivity system that keeps you on track? I’d love to hear what works for you. 💬

When I started sharing my ideas on LinkedIn, I didn’t expect one thing — 
how much feedback would come my way, both good and bad.


Some comments were thoughtful and helped me grow.
Others? Let’s just say they weren’t so kind.


At first, I took it personally. I wondered if my content wasn’t good enough — or worse, if I wasn’t good enough.


I thought about changing my approach.
I thought about posting what everyone likes.
I even thought about trying to please everyone.


But here’s what I learned — that’s impossible.


> “If you try to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no one.”


And honestly, if I did that, I wouldn’t be me anymore.
I wouldn’t be authentic to the people who actually support me for who I am.


The truth is, negative feedback is part of the game — especially when you talk about meaningful topics like sustainability, change, and leadership.
Not everyone will agree, and that’s okay.
The bolder the message, the louder the reactions.


Now, I take a step back.
If there’s something I can learn from the feedback, great — I’ll grow.
If it’s just hate for the sake of hate, I move on.


Because my energy is limited.
Why focus on the 10% of negativity when 90% of people are showing support, encouragement, and love?


To everyone who’s been cheering me on — thank you.
Your support keeps me grounded and motivated to keep showing up as my true self, and to keep sharing stories that inspire positive change. 🌱


Here’s to growing, learning, and staying authentic — even when it’s not easy. 💪🙂


🔴 How do you usually deal with negative feedback — learn from it, ignore it, or something in between?


#AuthenticLeadership #SustainabilityJourney #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #MindsetMatters

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The Battle

Jon Spiesman

Jeff Loo

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Performance ScoreJon Spiesman's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Jon Spiesman

Jeff Loo

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jon Spiesman's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJeff Loo's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJon Spiesman's LinkedIn Performance