Ronda Colavito

I remember the first time,  as a leader, I realized my team was filtering the feedback they were giving me - telling me how great things were going and how successful the program would be. I realized I would have to launch without full confidence—or reassurance from my team—that we’d be successful. I remember working really hard to make it safe to disagree, challenge me or give me feedback – and yet, I was still getting superficial, mostly positive feedback. A mentor was kind enough to tell...

Let’s be honest: growth discussions can get awkward fast. You set out to talk about development, and before long, the conversation has drifted to promotions. It’s understandable. When people think about growth, they often think about moving up: a new title, a pay bump, recognition. But promotions are just one expression of growth, and as a leader, your role isn’t to have all the answers about when or how they’ll happen. The Promotion Question Trap Few things make leaders sweat like promotion...

We’ve all seen it: the person who seems to be the VP’s golden child  gets the promotion, while the quiet, high-performer stays exactly where they are. I coached a Director of Engineering (let’s call him Tim) who was deeply frustrated after watching multiple promotion cycles pass him by. He had been asking for the next level for nearly two years, with no clear answer on when  or even if  it would happen. Over time, the uncertainty began to erode his satisfaction with a job he had once loved....