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Guest Bio
Fabio Sacoman is a seasoned Learning & Development (L&D) leader with over 20 years of experience. Currently serving as Vice President of Learning and Development at Expedia Group, Fabio’s journey spans from consulting to corporate leadership. Before Expedia, he spent nearly 18 years at SEDA Consulting, where he played a pivotal role in transforming it from a startup into a thriving multinational, working with clients such as GE, Sanofi, MasterCard, and Baker Hughes. His insights into leadership, skill development, and corporate learning ecosystems are invaluable for professionals navigating career growth.
The Power of Feedback in Professional Growth
Early in his career at GE, Fabio learned a crucial lesson about executive presence. Tasked with delivering a high-stakes presentation to senior leadership, he spent a week crafting an extensive, 50-slide deck. However, his CEO’s feedback was brutally honest: “Fabio, this is brilliant if you were a professor, but it’s the worst business presentation I’ve seen.”
Though initially crushed, Fabio chose to embrace the critique. With the CEO’s guidance, he refined his presentation into a concise, compelling story told in just three slides. When the time came to present, he found himself in a private jet with executives, forced to condense his message even further into an elevator pitch. The experience underscored a critical lesson:
An executive’s available time does not equal their interest. Capturing attention quickly is the key to impact.
This transformative moment cemented Fabio’s belief in the power of clear, concise communication and set the foundation for his leadership style.
Success Stories: Transitions and Achievements
Fabio’s career is marked by bold transitions. After 18 years of building SEDA Consulting, he made the difficult decision to leave his own company to join Expedia. His tenure at SEDA had left a lasting impact, not just through structured processes and financial success, but through the deep relationships he built with his team and clients.
His transition to Expedia was equally momentous. Within two years, he was promoted to Vice President—a testament to his ability to drive impact, create a learning culture, and build strong internal networks. The promotion, he explains, was not just about performance metrics, but about trust, consistency, and aligning with the business’s strategic needs.
From Feedback to Impact: Systematic Skill Development
At Expedia, Fabio applies the lessons he learned at GE by embedding a structured approach to skill development. His method involves:
- Identifying Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) – Ensuring credibility in training programs.
- Creating a Culture of Learning – Embedding continuous improvement in leadership development.
- Motivating Employees to Engage – Making it clear why learning a new skill is personally beneficial.
“Feedback is the best gift you can get. The people who embrace it grow; those who resist it, don’t.”
Creating a Learning Ecosystem at Expedia
Fabio’s approach to corporate learning is rooted in community-driven development. By engaging senior leaders as role models, he fosters an environment where learning is embedded in daily work, rather than seen as a separate initiative.
One of his key strategies is designing personalized career pathways for employees, ensuring that skill development aligns with business needs while remaining personally meaningful.
Transforming Manager-Employee Relationships
A pivotal takeaway from Fabio’s leadership philosophy is treating managers as clients. He emphasizes that promotions and career advancement don’t happen in a vacuum—managers play a key role in advocating for their teams.
“Your promotion is in someone’s hands. If you treat your manager like a client—understanding their needs, building trust, and delivering value—you position yourself for success.”
By shifting from a self-focused approach to one of service and impact, employees can build stronger, more productive relationships with leadership.
Learning from Failures and Feedback
One of Fabio’s most profound professional lessons came from a seemingly positive feedback session. A senior executive once told him:
“Fabio, you are one of the best trainers I’ve ever seen. But sometimes, you pretend to be someone you’re not.”
This insight forced Fabio to rethink how he presented himself. He realized that, in an attempt to appear more experienced, he had been relying on stories that weren’t authentically his own. This marked a turning point where he embraced his own voice, bringing his unique background and personality into his work.
Authenticity isn’t about impressing—it’s about delivering value.
Navigating Cultural Differences in Global Organizations
With experience spanning Brazil, Mexico, the UK, and global corporations, Fabio has developed a keen ability to bridge cultural gaps. His strategies for navigating cultural differences include:
- Never taking things personally – Understanding that workplace feedback is about tasks, not individuals.
- Curiosity and active listening – Asking the right questions and truly caring about the responses.
- Building on commonalities – Focusing on shared values rather than differences to create stronger working relationships.
Ready to Push Boundaries?
Fabio’s journey illustrates how organizations can unlock potential by fostering a culture of feedback, strong leadership, and cultural intelligence. When these elements are at the forefront, companies cultivate an atmosphere where employees excel, creativity thrives, and learning remains an ongoing, evolving journey.
Are you ready to push boundaries and reimagine how your organization learns and grows?
Resources
- Learn more about Fabio Sacoman
- Learn more about Expedia Group
- Connect with Growthspace
Key Takeaways
- Feedback is a gift—embrace it.
- Concise storytelling is more impactful than lengthy presentations.
- Authenticity builds stronger connections.
- Treat your manager as a client to understand their needs.
- Career growth is about consistency, relationships, and results.
- Cultural awareness is key in global organizations.
Chapters
00:00 – The Power of Feedback: Fabio’s career-changing lesson in executive presence.
07:44 – Bold Career Transitions: From startup founder to corporate leader at Expedia.
12:15 – Turning Feedback into Growth: The systematic skill development framework.
19:08 – Building a Learning Culture: How Fabio fosters a leadership-driven learning ecosystem.
24:14 – The Manager-Employee Dynamic: Why treating managers as clients unlocks success.
32:22 – Lessons from Failure: The impact of embracing authenticity.
41:53 – Bridging Cultural Gaps: Fabio’s approach to navigating global workplaces.
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