Career growth is desired by most professionals, but finding a manager that is a talent accelerator can be challenging — unless you work at Wipfli or EchoStar, that is.
That’s because these two employers make advancement feel attainable through clear career pathways, frequent performance conversations and funded training programs. Just ask Aditi Patil, manager of talent and organization development at advisory firm Wipfli.
“At Wipfli, associates have ongoing conversations with their performance coach to understand how their current work aligns to the next level, so growth feels continuous rather than episodic,” Patil said, adding that these conversations are supported through foundational training and real-world application of skills.
Meanwhile, Michael White, senior manager of talent and leadership development at EchoStar, said his team is building a new career mobility architecture for employees at the telecommunications company.
“We don't just value where our talent is today, we are deliberately investing in where they can go tomorrow,” White said.
Built In spoke with Patil and White in detail about how the two companies are building cultures of growth and career mobility to support employees for the long haul.
Wipfli is an advisory firm that delivers holistic solutions to help clients navigate the modern marketplace, optimize performance and drive growth.
What makes promotion criteria feel fair and clear — and what evidence supports it?
Promotion criteria feel fair when expectations are transparent and reinforced through consistent coaching and not just annual reviews. At Wipfli, associates have ongoing conversations with their performance coach to understand how their current work aligns to the next level, so growth feels continuous rather than episodic. Advancement often reflects the work someone is already doing — if an associate is performing a significant portion of the next role, that progression can be recognized through an in-line or team promotion.
We also reinforce fairness through visibility and internal mobility. Roles are posted internally with clear qualifications and associates are encouraged to explore opportunities and discuss readiness with their coach and HR partners. At the same time, much of our growth happens organically — from intern to full-time associate to leadership — which creates a shared understanding of what progression looks like in practice and builds trust in the system.
Which program most improved your team's capability — and what changed?
One of the most impactful elements of our development approach is how we combine foundational training with real-world application. Programs like Outward Mindset, introduced early in an associate’s experience, build core skills like communication, feedback and self-awareness. What changed is consistency — teams develop a shared baseline for how they collaborate, communicate and approach client work, rather than learning those skills unevenly across teams.
Recently, one of our programs called “persona skills development” focused on key growth skills and leveraged a cutting-edge AI platform. Our associates gained confidence in skills as they relate to listening to clients, being a trusted advisor and helping clients solve problems quicker. Through AI role playing, associates were able to practice in a safe environment and improve skills prior to the actual conversations with clients.
What recurring manager/mentor behavior accelerates growth?
The most consistent driver of growth is ongoing, intentional coaching. Performance coaches connect at least once monthly with associates to provide feedback, align on goals and identify the experiences needed to progress. That cadence helps associates understand not just how they’re performing, but what they should do next to keep growing.
Another key behavior is actively shaping development through work. Managers often help associates gain targeted experience by adjusting project exposure or aligning work to their interests, rather than relying only on formal role changes.
Finally, managers also encourage our associates to partake of the various formal and informal learning opportunities that are available. These learning opportunities range from self-paced learning to long term immersive experiences.
Managers and performance coaches model the way by updating their skills in being a good performance coach and learning how to give feedback, set goals and develop associates.
EchoStar is a telecommunications company that specializes in satellite, mobile and video technologies, and includes brands like DISH TV, Boost Mobile, Sling TV and Hughes.
What makes promotion criteria feel fair and clear — and what evidence supports it?
Fairness in career progression isn’t a destination; it’s an ongoing commitment to transparency. Currently, we ensure equity by anchoring our promotion process in robust talent planning, objective performance reviews and clear job descriptions that give everyone a fair shot at the next step. But what makes this an exciting place to work right now is how we are actively building for the future. We are currently architecting an even deeper, more explicit career framework. By evolving our existing systems into a highly defined career architecture, we are actively partnering with our teams to map out long-term trajectories. The fact that our leadership is dedicating significant resources to this evolution is the ultimate evidence of our culture: We don't just value where our talent is today, we are deliberately investing in where they can go tomorrow.
Which program most improved your team's capability — and what changed?
When it comes to driving capability, our approach to leadership development isn’t just about checking a box — it’s a proven engine for business success and career mobility. Over the past four years, our LEAD Pathways program has offered tailored development across every tier of leadership, from emerging leaders and first-level managers to managers of managers. The data speaks for itself. When looking at our impact from 2023 to 2025, employees who participated in LEAD Pathways were one-third less likely to leave the organization, had an 82 percent higher promotion rate and were 80 percent more likely to move internally than non-participants. Furthermore, these leaders saw a 3.7-point advantage on our employee experience surveys, proving that great leadership directly translates to happier, more engaged teams. But a great talent development team meets the business where it is today. Because our organization is evolving, we are currently updating LEAD Pathways to align with our newest strategic goals and reach more leaders. We aren't just relying on past success; we are actively ensuring our leaders have the exact capabilities they need to guide their teams into the future.
What recurring manager/mentor behavior accelerates growth?
Growth accelerates when development isn't just an HR initiative, but a daily leadership practice. At our organization, we have deliberately tied our development programs to our core values — curiosity, pride, adventure and winning. The leaders who drive the highest engagement and growth are rooted in building trust, coaching and high emotional intelligence. Our most successful managers don't just manage tasks; they actively champion their people. We foster a culture that prioritizes consistent career conversations, proactive performance management and continuous talent development. When managers intentionally coach rather than just direct, they create a high-trust environment where employees feel safe to take on 'adventures,' satisfy their 'curiosity' and ultimately deliver the results that help the entire team win.
