Episode #56: Elevate Together: Learning, Leading, and Belonging as a Team

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 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 #TeamDevelopment #Engagement #WorkplaceCulture #ContinuousLearning #WorkplaceCivility #ChangeManagement #Communication #AltusGrowthPartners