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Missing Conversations

Missing Conversations

By: Altus Growth Partners
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 How do you create extraordinary and meaningful outcomes that take care of people, your organization and the future you care about? We at Altus believe all results, those that you want and those that you don’t, are generated by conversations. When conversations are missing, people and results suffer—learning to see the missing conversations is where to begin. Helping you and your teams have the right conversations with the right people to get the results you desire is what Altus is all about. Through in-depth interviews with incredible guests, we explore the power and practices of conversations. In each interview, you’ll learn how to see the missing conversations to enhance your leadership influence and impact and ignite a world of difference, one conversation at a time. If you’re aiming for bold change and growing your leadership, teams and organization to create extraordinary results, we want to talk to you! Schedule your confidential conversation. altusgrowth.com/contact.2023 Economics
Episodes
  • Episode #57: Leading as Human: How Small Shifts Spark Real Transformation

    Episode #57: Leading as Human: How Small Shifts Spark Real Transformation
    Aug 7 2025
    When leaders show up human—curious, present, and willing to listen—teams grow, trust deepens, and the real work of transformation begins. Sharon Richmond, executive coach and Altus principal, shares how a lifelong care for community, agency, and voice has shaped her leadership—and what led her to join a team that actively practices what it teaches. In conversation with Altus partners, Amy Vodarek and Dan Winter, Sharon explores how leaders become stronger by staying curious, open to learning, and grounded in their own humanness. Through real-life stories—from truth-telling in preschool to transformative client breakthroughs—she reveals the power of subtle shifts: how we listen, how we navigate conflict, how we make requests and keep promises. Sharon shows how small, intentional moves can reshape how teams relate, learn, and co-create together. Key Moments You’ll Want to Hear: 01:55: What if your people left work energized for life beyond the job? 07:20: The untapped power of recognizing the stories you and your team are living in. 09:09: How a Nike exec made one small change, improving the relationship with her team. 12:21: Where senior leaders get stuck, and what opens the way forward. 14:43: Calm. Capable. Curious. A mantra to embody your executive presence. 16:31: Listen to fix… or listen to learn? Why leaders need both. 18:00: Redefine your role again and again. That’s leadership at scale. 19:45: Leading as human means caring for your own humanness, too. 22:34: A simple meeting shift that transformed a team’s performance and future. 26:32: Why Sharon said yes to Altus, and what makes the team stand out. 32:49: How addressing missing conversations unlocks alignment, innovation, and momentum. 34:50: A real-time disagreement became a lesson in navigating conflict well. 38:18: How leadership practices like making effective offers, promises, and clear commitments are transforming Sharon’s family life and how they can reshape yours, too. 42:16: Sharon’s big “Aha!”: Letting go of the script to meet clients where they are. 48:28: Want to change your culture? Think like a gardener. To lead as human means we have to be humans and take care of our humanness. 🎧 Listen in if you’re ready to lead with more presence, co-create with your team, and build a culture where people grow, stay curious, and still have something left at the end of the day. About Sharon Richmond Sharon Richmond, executive coach and a principal at Altus Growth Partners, helps executives envision and build successful, healthy companies fueled by cultures of accountability and mutual respect. She brings simple, practical frameworks to help clients surface what they, their teams, and their organizations must do to win: to have better conversations, make better decisions, and get better results. You can connect with Sharon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-richmond/ About Altus Growth Partners At Altus, we partner with CEOs and leadership teams who are serious about growth and willing to engage in new kinds of conversations to produce better results. We care deeply about helping leaders and teams collaborate more effectively, navigate complexity with confidence, and foster a culture where people thrive. It’s in these environments that challenges are met with curiosity, people bring out the best in one another, and progress is anchored in shared purpose. Because when leaders and teams are truly working together, they expand what’s possible and the meaningful impact they can make in their lives, their organizations, and the world around them. You can find Altus Growth Partners on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners/ About the Book Growing Groups Into Teams: How do you turn a group of individuals into a highly effective, productive team? Growing Groups Into Teams is an unusually useful book written by a team of generative consultants and coaches who have helped thousands of groups become effective teams. Through real-life stories combined with pragmatic advice, this book strengthens your ability to see what’s needed and take effective action: What two promises turn a group into a team. How to engage people to make those promises. How to invite responsibility and accountability. How to include and inspire people across differences. How to build and rebuild trust, and more! Regardless of how productive your teams are today, the insights in this book will help you grow to the next level to drive your business or organization forward. Order your copy today! Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Groups-into-Teams-Real-life-ebook/dp/B0CJLC23VS Order directly: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?l8SxF4Aexn9gq08iz7jFBbwutleujrftoZ2wAOFzCVH If you're looking to expand your leadership influence, shift your results, and develop a highly engaged, accountable team, we’d love to talk to you. Schedule a conversation with an Altus Team Member here...
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    51 mins
  • Episode #56: Elevate Together: Learning, Leading, and Belonging as a Team

    Episode #56: Elevate Together: Learning, Leading, and Belonging as a Team
    Jul 31 2025
    For Don DeVito, leadership has always been about impact. So when he found a team as committed to learning, caring, and making a difference as he was, he chose to grow in community. In this episode of Missing Conversations, Don joins Amy Vodarek and Ellen Burton to reflect on his journey from decades of solo consulting and international leadership to finding belonging—and a deeper sense of purpose—inside the Altus team. Don shares what he’s still discovering after 40 years in the field: how teams thrive through the moments that matter most—by engaging meaningfully, celebrating together, and staying in learning. From building relationships across cultures to slowing down for the conversations that shape culture, Don reminds us: leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about staying connected to what you care about, and choosing to grow with others who care just as deeply. Key Moments You’ll Want to Hear: 04:05: Why Don traded solo success for the shared power of the Altus team. 05:38: Inside the minds of today’s leaders: What clients are struggling with most. 06:25: In turbulence, turn inward (and other practices to follow to create steadiness for you and your team). 09:15: Want better relationships? Give your team opportunities to engage, celebrate, and learn together. 13:15: What Don learned about connection while working in France—and why it matters. 16:12: Why flipping your focus to what’s going well unlocks trust and loyalty. 18:12: How working across cultures reshaped Don’s leadership. 20:41: The power of asking: where are the missing conversations? 23:04: Leadership from the inside out: How awareness elevates your presence and influence. 26:31: Become a better leader by surrounding yourself with those you can learn from. 27:29: As teams evolve, so must leaders: The importance of learning again how to be a team. 28:51: What makes a true learning organization—and how to recognize (and build) one from the inside. 32:37: Don’s first year at Altus: belonging, growth, and what it really means to be a team. I have learned that I am better when I surround myself with people smarter than me, from different backgrounds, and I learn from by interacting with them. 🎧 Tune in to hear how teaming with people who care, learn, and grow with you can transform how you lead. About Don DeVito Don DeVito partners with organizations to navigate complex transitions with empathy, clarity, and confidence—whether that’s a Fortune 500 company integrating after a merger or a multigenerational, family-run business preparing for a leadership transition. With a background inside large corporations and at the helm of high-stakes initiatives, he knows what it takes to move strategy from the page into practice. Don brings deep expertise in organizational assessment, change management, and cross-cultural dynamics. He meets people where they are—with calm, curiosity, and a practical, hands-on approach that builds trust and drives momentum. You can connect with Don here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devitodon/ About Altus Growth Partners At Altus, we partner with CEOs and leadership teams who are serious about growth and willing to engage in new kinds of conversations to produce better results. We care deeply about helping leaders and teams collaborate more effectively, navigate complexity with confidence, and foster a culture where people thrive. It’s in these environments that challenges are met with curiosity, people bring out the best in one another, and progress is anchored in shared purpose. Because when leaders and teams are truly working together, they expand what’s possible and the meaningful impact they can make in their lives, their organizations, and the world around them. You can find Altus Growth Partners on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners/ About the Book Growing Groups Into Teams: How do you turn a group of individuals into a highly effective, productive team? Growing Groups Into Teams is an unusually useful book written by a team of generative consultants and coaches who have helped thousands of groups become effective teams. Through real-life stories combined with pragmatic advice, this book strengthens your ability to see what’s needed and take effective action: What two promises turn a group into a team. How to engage people to make those promises. How to invite responsibility and accountability. How to include and inspire people across differences. How to build and rebuild trust, and more! Regardless of how productive your teams are today, the insights in this book will help you grow to the next level to drive your business or organization forward. Order your copy today! Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Groups-into-Teams-Real-life-ebook/dp/B0CJLC23VS Order directly: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?l8SxF4Aexn9gq08iz7jFBbwutleujrftoZ2wAOFzCVH If you're looking to expand your ...
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    40 mins
  • Episode #55: How Great Leaders Learn Through Action: Lessons from Intel to Startup Life

    Episode #55: How Great Leaders Learn Through Action: Lessons from Intel to Startup Life
    Jul 24 2025
    After 28 years at Intel, Mandy Mock stepped into startup life. She didn’t have a perfect plan, but she was committed to learn through action. In this episode with Dan Winter and Lynette Winter, Mandy—now CEO and co-founder of AmbientSense Technologies—explores what building a company from the ground up is teaching her about cultivating trust with her team, aligning multiple cultures, and the value of curiosity and experimentation in leadership. Listen in to hear her practical insights for leaders rethinking how they grow themselves, their teams, and their impact. Key Moments You’ll Want to Hear: 01:39: Why Mandy left a 28-year Intel career to build something new. 03:32: How paying attention to what you care about and striving to take care of your cares unlocks better leadership and sustainable success. 05:17: The sweet spot: where your passion meets what your business needs. 07:04: Insights on decision-making in startups—and how larger organizations can foster the same agility. 08:15: How daily conversations build trust and move teams forward. 09:55: Lessons in shared ownership from Mandy’s co-founder team. 11:22: Why clear standards are respect in action. 15:22: How OKRs help small teams focus without losing flexibility. 16:30: Why reflecting together on missed goals builds healthier, stronger teams. 20:29: How to build trust—fast. 25:35: Leading across cultures with curiosity and care. 31:47: Curiosity makes better leaders. Mandy shares how. 33:26: How sharing the “why” behind decisions strengthens alignment and fosters shared leadership. 36:05: Reflections on leadership identity, contribution, and authentic growth. 39:55: Honoring diverse experience to expand what’s possible for teams. 45:09: Thinking of a career change? Start with service, not status. 48:20: The big shift from learn and then act to learning from action. You've got to be willing to try new opportunities, even if they're not exactly what you thought you'd be moving into. 🎧 Curious about growing your leadership while building your next thing? Listen in. About Mandy Mock Mandy Mock is CEO and co-founder of AmbientSense Technologies, a startup creating RFID corrosion sensors. Prior, Mandy was at Intel for 28 years, in areas such as Software, IT, Enterprise Software, Internet of Things and Desktop and Workstation product management. Mandy has a BS of ECE, MS of CS and MBA. She has 2 sons and lives in Portland with her husband. You can connect with Mandy here: www.linkedin.com/in/MandyMock About Altus Growth Partners At Altus, we partner with CEOs and leadership teams who are serious about growth and willing to engage in new kinds of conversations to produce better results. We care deeply about helping leaders and teams collaborate more effectively, navigate complexity with confidence, and foster a culture where people thrive. It’s in these environments that challenges are met with curiosity, people bring out the best in one another, and progress is anchored in shared purpose. Because when leaders and teams are truly working together, they expand what’s possible and the meaningful impact they can make in their lives, their organizations, and the world around them. You can find Altus Growth Partners on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners/ About the Book Growing Groups Into Teams: How do you turn a group of individuals into a highly effective, productive team? Growing Groups Into Teams is an unusually useful book written by a team of generative consultants and coaches who have helped thousands of groups become effective teams. Through real-life stories combined with pragmatic advice, this book strengthens your ability to see what’s needed and take effective action: What two promises turn a group into a team. How to engage people to make those promises. How to invite responsibility and accountability. How to include and inspire people across differences. How to build and rebuild trust, and more! Regardless of how productive your teams are today, the insights in this book will help you grow to the next level to drive your business or organization forward. Order your copy today! Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Groups-into-Teams-Real-life-ebook/dp/B0CJLC23VS Order directly: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?l8SxF4Aexn9gq08iz7jFBbwutleujrftoZ2wAOFzCVH If you're looking to expand your leadership influence, shift your results, and develop a highly engaged, accountable team, we’d love to talk to you. Schedule a conversation with an Altus Team Member here: https://calendly.com/prollin-altusgrowth/zoom-video-30-min. Follow us on social media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners https://www.facebook.com/AltusGrowth https://www.instagram.com/altusgrowthpartners/ Keywords: #Leadership #TeamDynamics #StartupLife #StartupCulture #Intel #RFIDCorrosionSesnsors #CareerTransition #Experimentation #Curiosity
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    50 mins
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